Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez underwent surgery, out 6 months
By Bill Pivetz
Red Sox young starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will miss some time next season after undergoing right knee surgery on Tuesday.
The Boston Red Sox, on paper, had one of the best starting pitching rotations in the final months. With veteran Chris Sale added to the mix, the team had Drew Pomeranz, Rick Porcello, David Price and Steven Wright. The one name missing is 24-year-old Eduardo Rodriguez.
He won’t be a part of the Red Sox rotation to start the 2018 season. Rodriguez underwent a reconstruction of the patellofemoral ligament in his right knee. ESPN reported that he will be sidelined for about six months.
That brings us to April, but he won’t be returning then. As he will likely miss Spring Training, Rodriguez will need time to get back into baseball shape and build up strength in that knee. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see him until the end of May/beginning of June.
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Rodriguez started the season poorly, six earned runs in his first two starts, 10.1 innings. He then posted a 2.20 ERA, 1.022 WHIP and 4-0 record in his next eight starts. Rodriguez’s last before his injury was bad, seven ER in 5.2 innings.
After he came back from injury, Rodriguez made 14 starts. He had a 4.72 ERA, 1.389 WHIP and 2-5 record. The ratios aren’t great but in an age when home runs are way up, I’m okay with that. He had a 10.0 K/9 and 3.42 BB/9 in that span.
Rodriguez posted career highs, some good and bad, across the board this season. That includes innings, walks, strikeouts, home runs and K/9. Pitching in the American League East can do more damage than the league average as well, especially with home runs.
As we get ready for 2018, Rodriguez isn’t someone you can draft in standard leagues. There are certain players you must draft despite missing some time to start the season. Unfortunately, Rodriguez isn’t one of them. Once he begins his rehab starts, I would make a speculative pickup for him and see how he does in his first couple of starts before putting him on my starting roster.
Next: 2018 Sleeper: Yangervis Solarte
I previously had Rodriguez in my top 50 among starting pitchers. Now, he’s outside of my top 75. In AL-only leagues, he will have to be drafted but don’t expect him to pitch for the first month of the season. I do expect him to have a sub-4.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP for the year.