Nathan Eovaldi breezes through stop at McCoy Stadium

PAWTUCKET - He came, he dominated and he left without comment.

World Series hero Nathan Eovaldi threw one inning of impressive relief Thursday morning at McCoy Stadium and may well be ready for a return to the major leagues. Eovaldi, sidelined since April with a sore elbow, struck out the side in the second inning of a Pawtucket Red Sox game against the Louisville Bats.

 Eovaldi threw 19 pitches, 11 for strikes. He topped out at 98 miles an hour on the radar gun and [...]

PAWTUCKET - He came, he dominated and he left without comment.

World Series hero Nathan Eovaldi threw one inning of impressive relief Thursday morning at McCoy Stadium and may well be ready for a return to the major leagues. Eovaldi, sidelined since April with a sore elbow, struck out the side in the second inning of a Pawtucket Red Sox game against the Louisville Bats.

 Eovaldi threw 19 pitches, 11 for strikes. He topped out at 98 miles an hour on the radar gun and ended his quick stint with a sharply-breaking curve ball for a strike out.

 Then, he left town without talking to the press. The veteran hurler who the Sox signed to a four year, $68 million contract last December is expected to discuss his outing after Thursday's afternoon Red Sox game at Fenway Park.

 If deemed healthy and ready, Eovaldi could be activated and accompany the Sox to a weekend series in Baltimore. He is expected to be slotted into the bullpen to firm up what has been a shaky Red Sox relief corps. Earlier in the week Red Sox manager Alex Cora was clearly excited about the prospect of adding Eovaldi but expressed caution, saying "We want to make sure there are no more setbacks. When he’s really ready to come back, that’s when he’s going to come back."