Boston Red Sox manager announced some changes to the team’s starting rotation beginning this weekend on Wednesday.
Cora revealed that David Price will make his return from the injured list and will start against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif., while Brian Johnson will move into the bullpen for the rest of the season.
Nathan Eovaldi will start the series opener against the Angels, while Saturday will be a bullpen game with a starter TBD, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
It was anticipated that Price would be back this weekend after throwing a simulated game this week, with the lefty noting that he could have been available to go sooner if the Sox weren’t in the middle of interleague play.
The left-hander has been on the injured list since Aug. 8 as he deals with a cyst on his left wrist. The 33-year-old is 7-5 over 21 starts this season with a 4.36 ERA.
Johnson has struggled mightily his last few times out of the bullpen, suggesting that a different gameplan might be necessary for him after he allowed three runs in the first inning against the San Diego Padres on Sunday.
So for now, it seems that the Sox are ready to roll with a four-man rotation for the time being while figuring things out every fifth day. That’s a risky game to play, considering the Sox have zero wiggle room when it comes to the standings.
Boston sits six games behind the Oakland A’s for the second wild card spot in the American League, and also trail the Tampa Bay Rays by five games.
