After being named the Opening Day Starter, Eduardo Rodriguez won’t be starting on Opening Day due to “dead arm,” Red Sox Manager Cora announced Friday morning.
Rodriguez, 27, is coming off of a missed 2020 due to myocarditis, and was said to be a “full-go” in 2021, where he was said to be able to make 20-30 starts. That option isn’t out of the window, as it probably just means he will miss one start, two or three at the very most.
“Next step is to throw a bullpen,” Cora said. “So when he throws a bullpen, then we address the situation again.”
In the lefty’s most recent year, 2019, he went 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA. He also had a career high 203.1 innings that season. In E-Rod’s career, which started in 2015, he has a 4.03 ERA in exactly 699 innings.
“I think it’s just dead arm,” Cora said. “He didn’t feel as strong as the previous outings arm-wise. Shoulder, arm, there’s nothing specific there. … He pushed hard for Thursday, but I think the smart thing from my end and from our end is to play it smart.”
The news means Nate Eovaldi will start on Opening Day against the Orioles, which is April 1st, as he did last year against the Orioles.