Eduardo Rodriguez’s strong performance Thursday was the ultimate feel good story for two reasons. On a human level, it was gratifying to see Rodriguez back on the mound following his grueling battle with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart linked to the coronavirus.
And on a baseball level, it showed the Red Sox really can be competitive this season. When healthy, Rodriguez is a true difference maker.
The Red Sox are winners of four straight, but their most recent victory over Baltimore was the best of the bunch, because it featured all of the ingredients that could propel Boston to the postseason. Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez led the offense, going 4-for-8 with two extra base-hits and three RBI — including Devers’ two-run shot in the first inning. Christian Vazquez, whom Alex Cora wisely slotted at DH, added two doubles, and Kike Hernandez smacked his first home run in a Red Sox uniform.
Once again, the Red Sox boast a deep lineup. It’s been one of their hallmarks over the last two decades. The question is, can the pitching staff keep pace?
So far, the answer is a resounding “yes.” The starting rotation has delivered six excellent starts in seven tries, with none of the outings more important than E-Rod’s return. He struck out seven batters in five frames, deploying sneaky good fastballs and biting cutters. The only blips were two solo home runs.
“It felt like my first day in the big leagues. My body was all chills,” Rodriguez told reporters after the game, per USA Today. “When I looked around the ballpark it felt like was making my major league debut.”
Rodriguez’s ascension was one of the bright spots of the 2019 campaign. The left-hander blossomed into an ace, finishing the season with a 19-6 record and 3.81 ERA. He would’ve won 20 games, too, if the bullpen could’ve held his lead on the final day of the regular season.
Then Rodriguez contracted COVID-19, along with a rare heart condition that sidelined him for the abbreviated 2020 season. To recover, doctors recommended Rodriguez abstain from physical activity for three months.
At 27 years old, Rodriguez is just entering the prime of his career. He’s experienced the trials and tribulations of big league life, dazzling in his rookie season — 3.85 ERA in 21 starts — only to be jettisoned to the minors in 2016 and 2017. During Boston’s 2018 championship run, Alex Cora wasn’t afraid to publicly challenge Rodriguez, such as when Cora bluntly said he “needed to be better.”
Rodriguez responded with a sensational bounce back effort, and it looks like he’s picking up right where he left off. If that continues, the Red Sox will feature a legitimate 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation, as long as Nathan Eovaldi stays healthy.
In other words, E-Rod makes them a complete team.
