The Boston Red Sox sit without a proven fifth starter with spring training underway.
Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi and newcomer Martin Perez currently make up the starting rotation heading into the 2020 season, as Boston traded David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week as part of the blockbuster involving outfielder Mookie Betts.
So, how are the Red Sox going to fill out their rotation?
Here’s what MLB.com’s Ian Browne predicted over the weekend, in a piece highlighting one spring training prediction for each club:
The Red Sox have a hole in the rotation following the trade of David Price to the Dodgers, with no obvious candidate to fill the void. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was one of the masterminds of “the opener” with the Rays. Look for righty Ryan Weber to be an important part of the plan if that’s what the Sox go with. Lefty Josh Taylor, who has a power arm, should also factor in.
Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics have deployed an opener as their fifth starter for some time now. With no clear starter to take the spot in Boston’s rotation vacated by Price, this might make sense for the Red Sox early on this season.
