RED SOX NOTEBOOK: Question mark in rotation

Nathan Eovaldi is guaranteed just one more start in regular season.

NEW YORK -- Nathan Eovaldi is guaranteed just one more start for the Red Sox this regular season.

The right-hander is tentatively scheduled to take his regular turn in the rotation on Monday against Baltimore, as Boston begins a six-game homestand at Fenway Park. Eovaldi is then likely to come out of the bullpen on the last weekend when the Red Sox host the Yankees for a three-game set.

“He’s a strong kid,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He’s still going to be throwing 99, 100 (mph) if he starts or comes out of the bullpen. He did it already. We know he can do it.”

Whether or not this rules Eovaldi out of a potential playoff rotation spot remains to be seen, but it’s certainly trending that way at the moment. Cora hasn’t broached the subject of relief work or a bullpen role for Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello or Eduardo Rodriguez, all of whom could be in line for multiple starts before the Sept. 30 finale.

The open door to an American League Division Series start for Eovaldi would seem to rest with the opponent. He’s dominated New York twice since the July 25 trade that brought him to Boston for left-hander Jalen Beeks. Eovaldi has allowed just five hits across 14 scoreless innings against the Yankees, but he sports an ugly 6.58 earned-run average against other clubs.

“I do feel like I match up well against these guys because they’re so aggressive,” Eovaldi said. “It helps when I elevate the fastball against these guys. I feel like I got a lot of quick outs with an elevated fastball and then the slider down and away.”

Sale will pitch Friday at Cleveland and Wednesday against the Orioles. Porcello goes Saturday against the Indians and at home against New York. Price would pitch Tuesday against Baltimore and, if necessary, on the final day of the season. Rodriguez starts twice against the Yankees, including Thursday night.

That leaves Eovaldi backing up Porcello in his final start, which would mean a second relief appearance for Eovaldi in the last three weeks after going two years without one. Cora said Eovaldi or any other starter used out of the bullpen would likely enter at the start of an inning as opposed to in the middle or with men on base. Traditional bullpen arms would be deployed in such cases.

“You have to be careful,” Cora said. “All of these starters relieving, I know outs are outs and they should be able to do it. But they haven’t done it.”

Late relief: How and when certain relievers will be used is also a topic of conversation at the back end for the Red Sox.

Closer Craig Kimbrel is likely to pitch in the eighth inning at some point down the stretch. Cora wants to prepare Kimbrel for potentially recording more than three outs at the end of a postseason game. He’s entered prior to the ninth in just seven of his 59 appearances this season, including once in 15 games since July 29.

“Obviously we don’t have control of the game,” Cora said. “Hopefully we have leads in the eighth inning and he can come in earlier. I hate to say it’s a rehearsal.”

Kimbrel hasn’t appeared before the eighth since his rookie year with Atlanta in 2010. He’s pitched 35 times in the eighth over the past nine seasons, working to a 1.69 earned-run average and allowing just one home run over 21-1/3 innings.

Tuesday damages: The three-run homer by Neil Walker was the decisive swing as New York rallied for a 3-2 victory on Tuesday, but Cora was irked by more than just the key hit.

Brandon Workman’s pair of walks were damaging. Cora also didn’t like that Aaron Hicks was allowed to steal second base without a throw, eliminating the possibility of an inning-ending double play with Gary Sanchez at the plate and one out.

“If you keep (Hicks) at first base you’re one pitch away from a double play and we’re out of it,” Cora said. “Now there’s a guy at second and you don’t want to give in to Sanchez.”

Sanchez dug out of a 1-and-2 hole to draw his free pass from Workman, putting the tying run aboard and making Walker the go-ahead run at the plate. A solo home run would have simply tied the game at 1-1, but the added baserunners were a self-inflicted wound that proved fatal for Boston on the night.