The Boston Red Sox rotation has turned a corner, as far as Nathan Eovaldi and Alex Cora are concerned.
After the team’s starters put together a stretch of rough outings amid Boston’s recent losing streak, things have improved. In 10 games between July 28 and Aug. 6, the Red Sox went 2-8 and starters were credited with a loss on the hill in all eight defeats.
And the run impacted everyone — Eovaldi, the interim ace in the absence of Chris Sale, allowed seven runs on Friday, his second loss in that stretch. Garrett Richards and MartÃn Pérez — both of whom have been sent to the bullpen — each logged two losses in the span. Eduardo Rodriguez and and Nick Pivetta also took L’s.
But after strong starts from Pivetta (who held the Toronto Blue Jays scoreless in Game 1 of the doubleheader Sunday), Tanner Houck (who stepped in for Game 2) and Rodriguez (on Tuesday against Toronto), the group thinks things are looking up.
“We’ve been pitching better for a while now,” Cora said Wednesday after the Red Sox’s 20-8 blowout of the Rays. “I do believe where we’re at now pitching, we’re going to keep getting better. I know we moved some guys from the rotation to the bullpen, and the quality of their stuff is really good … The five guys we have in the rotation now, they’re really good. We feel very confident in where we’re at pitching-wise and we’re going to keep improving.”
The man of the hour agreed with his manager:
“The momentum’s been rolling with the starters,” Eovaldi said Wednesday after he allowed one run on three hits through seven innings. “I think tonight was a really good night for me to go seven and just keep passing the ball down.”
Things seem to be trending upwards as it is, but a pair of personnel changes have the potential to impact the rotation’s long-term success. Houck will return to the group for Thursday’s series finale against the Rays, and of course Chris Sale will make his season debut when he returns from Tommy John surgery on Saturday.
And with the Red Sox setting their sights on returning to the top of the division, it seems like perfect timing.
