Nathan Eovaldi To Be Red Sox Closer, Report Says
BOSTON (CBS) – It appears the Boston Red Sox are going to try to fix their massive bullpen problem in house.
According to NESN's Tom Caron, Nathan Eovaldi will move from the starting rotation to become the Red Sox closer when he returns from the injured list.
Eovaldi last pitched for the Red Sox on April 17, when he threw six innings of one-run ball against the Yankees in New York. It was his best outing of the year, but then the 29-year-old had to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. He was set to begin a minor league rehab assignment in early June when he suffered a setback with biceps tendinitis.
The Red Sox have been using a bullpen-by-committee approach this season after not resigning last year's closer Craig Kimbrel.
The move has been a disaster. The bullpen has blown 17 saves this season and the Red Sox are now 11 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East.
For the season, Eovaldi is 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA over four starts, allowing six home runs.
The Red Sox resigned him to a four-year contract in December after a stellar postseason starting and coming out of the bullpen. In six postseason appearances (two starts), Eovaldi went 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA. He recorded two holds — one in the clinching Game 5 of the ALCS, the other in Game 4 of the World Series. His lone loss may have been his best outing, as he pitched six innings of relief in Boston's 18-inning loss in Game 3 of the World Series in Los Angeles.
