Ranking Red Sox rotation after Nick Pivetta’s complete game

Red Sox rotation: Who’s No. 1?

#2 – RHP Garrett Whitlock

Garrett Whitlock, the surprising Rule 5 revelation from last season, has begun to gather reps out of the starting rotation and has looked fantastic so far.

Whitlock, 25, was used as a starting pitcher throughout his minor league career but appeared exclusively out of the Red Sox bullpen last year, where he was truly dominant.

To begin the year, Whitlock has nine appearances under his belt, including five starts. Overall, he is 1-1 with a 2.43 ERA plus 37 strikeouts and ten walks in 29+ innings. His relief outings were utterly brilliant as he posted a 0.93 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9+ innings, but his starts have been impressive as well.

As a starter, Whitlock has 26 strikeouts and eight walks in 20 innings. His 11.7 SO/9 mark is incredible and he’s managed a 3.15 ERA to go with it. His first start of the year (and his big league career) was a four-inning, one-hit, seven strikeout outing that earned him a place in the rotation going forward. Since then, he has made two starts of 5+ innings and has struck out as many as nine batters in an outing.

The early returns on Whitlock in the starting rotation have been very, very impressive. He may not be far from gaining another spot on this list down in the distant future.

#1 – RHP Nathan Eovaldi

While Nathan Eovaldi, the staff ace of the Red Sox, hasn’t looked great to begin this year, his strong 2020 and 2021 seasons earned him the Opening Day nod and No. 1 spot on this list for the Sox this year.

Eovaldi, 32, is entering his 11th season in the big leagues coming off of by far the best season of his career. Last year, he made all 32 starts and struck out a career high 195 batters, making his first career All-Star Game and earning a fourth place finish in the AL Cy Young voting.

Eovaldi, like Pivetta, has made all eight starts to begin the 2022 season but he has not looked quite as sharp as he did last season. His strikeouts are still high and his ERA+ of 92 is still respectable, but the home runs are what’s most concerning. He has already allowed fourteen home runs through 41+ innings, good for a 3.0 HR/9 rate.

Despite the fact that he hasn’t been off to the best start to begin this year, Eovaldi is still to be viewed as the ace of the Red Sox. If there’s a one off elimination-game involving Boston, he’s the man for the job. Eovaldi is just one or two solid starts from returning to form and making his numbers look better than they do at present.