The Boston Red Sox entering play today are 48-39 and currently sit in third place in the American League East trailing the Baltimore Orioles by 7.5 games. They however hold a Wild Card spot, currently holding the sixth and final seed as they lead the Kansas City Royals by 1.5 games. It is eight days until the All-Star break and we are 24 days till the trade deadline where it all looks like the Red Sox will be buyers. The other day I mentioned how the Red Sox had been linked to Jack Flaherty, as starting pitching is the biggest need for this Red Sox team, there just might be a name in Texas who would be the perfect fit for this team and he just so happens to be a former Red Sox in Nathan Eovaldi. Now Texas is the defending World Series Champions but they are in third place eight games out of first for American League West and trail the Red Sox by 8.5 games for that final spot, they are 3-7 in their last ten entering play today, the next week and a half to two weeks will be very guy for if this trade could happen.
Eovaldi joined the Red Sox at the trade deadline of 2018 making 12 appearances with 11 of those being starts, he went 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA, a 2.88 FIP, a 1.28 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 54 innings. In that 2018 World Series run he made six appearances starting in just two of them going 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA, a 0.81 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 22.1 innings; he pitched six innings in the third game of the World Series allowing the bullpen a night off which ended up being the deciding factor in the series for the Red Sox. In the Red Sox 2021 run to the ALCS, Eovaldi was at it again making five appearances with four coming as starts going 2-2 posting a 4.79 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 20.2 innings, he started the Wild Card game shutting down the Yankees lineup as he allowed one run on five hits over seven innings getting the Red Sox to the ALDS. In his 4.5 years with the Red Sox, he went 26-18 with a 4.05 ERA, a 3.73 FIP, a 1.27 WHIP, and 468 strikeouts in 461.2 innings. Last season he helped lead the Texas Rangers to their first World Series title making 25 starts in the regular season going 12-5 with 3.63 ERA, a 3.88 FIP, a 1.14 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts in 144 innings. In the postseason he made six starts going 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. This season he’s made 14 starts going 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA, a 3.75 FIP, a 1.08 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts in 80 innings.
Would you do a deal to bring Eovaldi back? He will be a free agent following this season and the Rangers are expecting to get Jacob deGrom back which will create a crowded pitching rotation meaning moving Eovaldi may make sense for them and it makes sense to bring him back to Boston, especially with him likely not costing much in terms of a prospect, seems like a no brainer to me.
Absolutely, YES!!! He gave us good years of service. He’s pitching well this year. Why, other than money, would we NOT do it? It’s one of the two things we need. The other is a Gold Glove infielder. I like Rafaella, but he’s not a Gold-Glove shortstop. Second base, I think Hamilton could develop into a great one, but he’s not there yet. First base, how long are we ready to wait for Triston Casas to make a return? Even if he does, is there anyone out there who remembers Doug Mientkiewicz? Not a great hitter (not a horrible one, either), but absolutely dazzling around first base–and the Red Sox won the series.
The Sox are still in serious contention, the Yankees are stumbling badly, and the Orioles haven’t lit the league up. GO FOR IT!!! And Eovaldi would be a great place to start. Then one more infielder, and this is a pennant contender.