BOSTON — Eduardo Rodriguez is here to stay.
Rodriguez dominated Wednesday as the Red Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-3 in the first game of the teams’ doubleheader at Fenway Park. The left-hander officially locked down a spot in Boston’s rotation with the performance, as manager John Farrell left no doubt that Rodriguez’s next start will be with the Red Sox next week against the Orioles rather than with Triple-A Pawtucket.
“If he goes to Pawtucket, it’s only on the way to Baltimore,” Farrell said after Wednesday’s Game 1 win.
Rodriguez, who dazzled last week in his major league debut against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park, was equally as impressive in his first career Fenway start. The 22-year-old allowed only one run on two hits over seven innings. He struck out seven, walked two and threw 77 of his 103 pitches for strikes.
Rodriguez, much like he did in his debut, flashed three impressive offerings, including a fastball that sat at an easy 93-95 mph. He generated swing and miss with his heater, his changeup and his slider while working at an extremely quick tempo that only added to his un-rookie-like mound presence.
The only major mistake Rodriguez made came in the third inning, when Brian Dozier yanked a 95-mph fastball into the Green Monster seats to tie the score at one apiece. It hardly rattled the young pitcher, though. He retired the next seven hitters he faced as the Red Sox built a 5-1 lead.
Trouble began to surface in the sixth inning when Danny Santana singled and Dozier walked to open the frame. The Sox had the luxury of a four-run lead, but Rodriguez ensured the gap didn’t close. He retired Shane Robinson on a fly ball to left field and then induced two ground balls to escape the inning unscathed.
There’s a reason Farrell was so quick to award Rodriguez another start following Tuesday’s gem, lessening the confusion that surrounds the future of Boston’s (six-man) rotation. The two-start beginning to Rodriguez’s career has been historic and the Red Sox need every spark they can get.
Rodriguez is the first pitcher since 1920 to go at least seven innings while allowing three hits or fewer and one run or fewer in each of his first two major league starts. He’s also the first pitcher in that span to record at least seven strikeouts while allowing three hits or fewer in each of his first two major league appearances.
Outside of Rodriguez’s pure stuff, there’s so much to like about the kid. He hasn’t once looked rattled in his two starts, creating a sense of control that will only benefit those who play behind him. And his approach is as simplistic as it is effective. He truly plays to his strengths and refuses to beat himself.
“He does,” Farrell said when asked if Rodriguez has the potential to be something special. “I think anybody in the game who has watched Eddie pitch, whether it’s been previously with Baltimore or since coming over here, (feels that way).
“We have the vantage point of getting to know the person in addition to the pitcher, and he’s got great aptitude, he’s intelligent, in addition to the physical abilities that he demonstrates. It’s a special kid.”
There are certain players who exude confidence, and those players typically carve out successful major league careers. While it’s obviously way too early to tell what type of big league pitcher Rodriguez will be in the long run, the early signs couldn’t be any more promising for him and, in turn, the Red Sox.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
