Bill Koch

Friday

Aug 7, 2020 at 7:25 PM


BOSTON —The Red Sox have made a pitching decision that acknowledges their current plight in the American League East race.


Boston entered Friday night last in the division and will skip the No. 5 spot in its starting rotation next time through. Nathan Eovaldi will take the ball on regular rest in Sunday’s series finale with the Blue Jays and Martin Perez could follow on regular rest on Monday against the Rays.


Going into [...]

BOSTON —The Red Sox have made a pitching decision that acknowledges their current plight in the American League East race.


Boston entered Friday night last in the division and will skip the No. 5 spot in its starting rotation next time through. Nathan Eovaldi will take the ball on regular rest in Sunday’s series finale with the Blue Jays and Martin Perez could follow on regular rest on Monday against the Rays.


Going into Friday night’s game against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were just 4-8 overall and sat last in the standings. Boston is 4-2 when Eovaldi or Perez takes the mound and 0-6 otherwise.


"Obviously we need to get it going somewhere," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "Hopefully we get both clicking — we get good pitching and our offense takes off like we know it can."


The Red Sox went 3-4 on their seven-game road trip, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees. Boston rallied to split a pair of games in Tampa Bay this week, two dates that were bracketed by scheduled off days. The Red Sox are now scheduled to play for each of the next 17 days, their longest such stretch of 2020.


"We know somewhere down the line we have to have a couple of really good series to bounce back and get to a place where we can feel comfortable," Roenicke said. "Then, from there, just steadily take off — maybe get hot again. But we know somewhere in here we have to play better and have a couple of really nice series."


Ryan Weber made his third start of the year on Friday and Zack Godley was set to make his second on Saturday. Boston’s original fifth starter, Matt Hall, has since been optioned to Pawtucket. The Red Sox used an opener in that spot on Sunday night in the Bronx, turning to right-hander Austin Brice.



Passing his test


The Red Sox received good news regarding an inconclusive coronavirus test on Sunday in New York.


Third-base coach Carlos Febles tested negative in a follow-up in Boston. Febles was immediately sent home following Sunday’s 9-7 defeat against the Yankees. Major league coaching staff member Ramon Vazquez was at third base for two games against the Rays.


The Red Sox are believed to have navigated through their first road trip of the season — seven games in nine days — without any further positive tests. The Marlins had 22 members of their traveling party test positive and the Cardinals received their 14th positive test result on Friday, forcing a postponement of their weekend series with the Cubs.


"We put out an email to the guys about different cities where we go to and what their risk assessment is on different activities," Roenicke said. "They know when they’re doing things if they’re following the protocols and they’re following the suggestions that we’re giving them."


Down on the alternate site


Left-handers Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez continue to work at the alternate site in Pawtucket after preseason positive tests for COVID-19. Bobby Dalbec was on the taxi squad to face Tampa Bay and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has been shut down for the season after contracting myocarditis during his recovery.


The Red Sox have made a trio of roster moves in the last two days, cutting down to the 28-man limit and changing their 60-man player pool.


Pitchers Chris Mazza and Hall were optioned to the alternate site in Pawtucket. Massachusetts native John Andreoli, an outfielder, was released on Friday to create room for the signing of right-handed pitcher Seth Blair.


Mazza threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in Saturday’s 5-2 loss against the Yankees. Hall has struggled in each of his two outings, surrendering eight earned runs in just 4 2/3 frames. His latest effort came in Sunday’s 9-7 defeat against New York, a two-inning stint in which he allowed four hits, two walks and five earned.


"In Mazza’s case, really difficult after he comes up and throws (three) great innings against the Yankees," Roenicke said. "We told him that. Sometimes it’s not fair what happens to guys.


"Hall hasn’t pitched as well, but we know he’s going to pitch better than what he’s shown. He knows it. Just trying to get him back to a point where we know he should be and to come back up and help us."


Andreoli was one of Boston’s last cuts out of Summer Camp. Blair is the latest in a slew of pitchers picked up by the Red Sox, the 46th overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2010 draft. The 31-year-old reached Triple A with St. Louis in 2014, was out of affiliated baseball for the next four years and returned with the Padres at Class-A Lake Elsinore in 2019.


bkoch@providencejournal.com


On Twitter: @BillKoch25