Nathan Eovaldi knows a thing or two about striking batters out.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher is off to a good start this season, putting up a 5-2 record on the mound in 10 starts with a 4.39 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings pitched.
Now he’s seeing how many Ks he can record off the field, having stepped up as The Jimmy Fund captain for the 2021 season to help strike out cancer.
“You know, coming over here for the first time I got to see the way Brock (Holt) interacted with all the fans, you know, the kids at the hospitals, all the patients, things like that and how much he meant to the Red Sox,” Eovaldi on Tuesday told NESN’s Tom Caron on “Red Sox Gameday Live” during pregame coverage for Boston’s game against the Atlanta Braves.
“When they reached out to me this spring training and asked if I would want be the guy I didn’t hesitate. I feel like cancer touched us all in so many different ways. And to be able to try to help out and try to fill in their shoes, I get to see Brock and Mitch (Moreland), get to see the way they interact with everybody and and try to raise money and raise awareness.”
The Red Sox have had a longtime relationship with The Jimmy Fund to raise money for pediatric cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In addition to Holt, a beloved five-time captain, and Moreland, Eovaldi also follows in the footsteps of Will Middlebrooks, David Ross and Tim Wakefield.
