Eduardo Rodriguez increasingly likely to miss Opening Day as COVID-19 recovery continues

The Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation looks barren heading into Opening Day

Without Chris Sale available for the 2020 calendar year, the Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation was already rather weak. But entering MLB Opening Day, the Red Sox pitching depth is going to be a major problem.

On Tuesday, left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez tested positive for COVID-19. Three days after the terrible news broke, Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said that while Rodriguez has yet to be ruled out for Opening Day, the chances of him being activated are increasingly unlikely. Now that we know the fully story, it’s all starting to come together.

Red Sox losing Rodriguez won’t bode well for team

During spring training, Boston received word that Sale would need to undergo Tommy John surgery shortly after he had a bad bout with pneumonia. After he was ruled out for the entirety of the 2020 season, Rodriguez was slated to be Boston’s ace. That can still be the case, but come Opening Day, a different Boston pitcher will have to tote the rubber.

Rodriguez never reported for summer camp at Fenway Park after informing the team that he had been around family members who were sick. That was when the Red Sox received word this past Tuesday that Rodriguez had tested positive for the coronavirus. Once that news dropped, Roenicke revealed that Rodriguez wasn’t “feeling 100 percent,” putting a damper on his chances of taking the mound for the start of the season.

Last season, Rodriguez emerged as the major bright spot in Boston’s rotation, especially with Sale and Rick Porcello struggling. Through 34 starts, Rodriguez (19-6) recorded a 3.81 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 203.1 innings of work.

With Rodriguez unlikely to be cleared for the team’s regular season opener on July 24, the Red Sox will have to go forth with a rotation consisting of Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, and Ryan Weber. Collin McHugh’s status for the season is still up in the air, as he’s currently working back from an elbow injury.