Eduardo Rodriguez is ace Red Sox desperately needed

The Boston Red Sox are leaning on Eduardo Rodriguez as their ace while waiting for Chris Sale to return. The lefty has stepped up in every way.

Eduardo Rodriguez is one of just three pitchers in baseball with four wins to their name in 2021.

There’s a reason manager Alex Cora has taken to calling Rodriguez an ace.

Boston has won his last eight starts going back to last season, including Sunday’s 5-3 victory over the Mariners.

When a pitcher produces those kinds of results, he definitely deserves the ace tag.

That’s not to say Rodriguez even sees himself as one.

“I don’t call myself an ace. I just go and pitch all the time,” he said, according to the AP. “For me, I don’t think I am. If he thinks it, I appreciate it.”

Eduardo Rodriguez has been incredibly consistent for the Red Sox

The emergence of Rodriguez has been key for Boston this season, especially with Chris Sale still a ways away from returning from Tommy John surgery.

According to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, Red Sox fans can thank Sale, along with Rick Procello and David Price, for teaching Rodriguez the value of location to make up for waning power. There’s no point in trying to throw 96 mph if you’re going to miss your spot. It’s better to deliver a pitch in the low 90s if you can make sure it hits the mark.

That’s what Rodriguez did against the Mariners as he picked up his fourth win in four starts this season. In seven innings of work, he struck out eight batters to increase his strikeout total to 26. Even though he gave up three runs, his teammates took the pressure off by putting four early runs on the board.