Chowder and Champions
Fansided

Boston Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez searching to get his groove back

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

May 31, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) signals while pitching against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
May 31, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) signals while pitching against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Following a hot start to the 2021 MLB season, Boston Red Sox top starter Eduardo Rodriguez is suddenly looking like the team’s worst starter.

As inconsistency continues to be the story of Rodriguez’s career so far, the lefty continued to struggle Monday in giving up six earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings in the team’s 11-2 whipping at the hands of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Boston Red Sox ace Eduardo Rodriguez not looking like an ace

In looking like an ace in his first few starts, Rodriguez has now lost 4 consecutive starts and is searching for answers, particularly with his command on the mound.

More from Chowder and Champions

"“I make a lot of mistakes – that’s why they got base hits and everything like that,” Rodriguez said following the game, via MLB.com.  “Like I said on the last start, every time you make a mistake, that’s going to happen.  That’s what happened today.”"

The Astros came out swinging, knocking 7 hits off Rodriguez in those 4 2/3 innings pitched.  Not a great start to the four-game series at all, but it’s a long season and the Red Sox need Eduardo Rodriguez to get it right as he has now seen a 4-0 start turn into a 5-4 record with a 5.64 ERA.  That is less than ideal for a team relying on him as the top starter.  It is also less than mediocre.

But Red Sox fans have been here before when it comes to Rodriguez.  If healthy, he has the ability to turn it around as he did in 2019 when he won 19 games for the team. Red Sox manager Alex Cora is certainly not giving up on his young ace turning it around.

"“It’s 30 starts, he’ll get 30 starts,” Cora said.  “He’s healthy.  You saw the stuff.  He maintained his stuff throughout the outing.  He just has to keep working, keep getting better.  He did that in ’19 when he was on top of the world, and he’s doing that right now.”"

Let’s hope so, because the Rodriguez we saw at the beginning of the season only makes the rest of the rotation that much better given the way Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Richards and Martin Perez has been getting it done as of late.

Boston Red Sox ace not making any excuses

It is great that Cora has faith in Rodriguez, but the pitcher himself is frustrated with his performance and certainly not making any excuses as to why he has been struggling, certainly not using missing all of 2020 as a reason he’s having a tough time with his location in his past four starts.

"“I don’t think this has anything to do with missing last year, man.  It’s just about location right now,” Rodriguez said.  “I have 10 starts already in the season.  I’m not going to blame that [on missing] last year.  That’s something that I’ve just got to go to the bullpen and work on.”"

Quite frankly, Eduardo Rodriguez needs to get it figured out and simply turn the page and there will be no better time to do that than his next start against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Next. Top 5 all-time Boston Red Sox starting pitchers. dark

If he gets it figured out by then, it could turn him back in the right direction.  If he doesn’t, it could be even more disastrous for Rodriguez because that Yankees lineup will make him pay for the mistakes he has been making just like the Houston Astros did on Monday.

In other words, the Boston Red Sox need Rodriguez throwing strikes if they want to keep swinging for the playoffs in 2021.

Home/Boston Red Sox