Red Sox are counting on Nate Eovaldi now more than ever

In Game 3 of the World Series, Eovaldi — who already had endured two Tommy John surgeries in his career and had pitched in the first two games of the series — threw 97 pitches over six innings of relief work in an 18-inning epic. While he was the losing pitcher after giving up a walkoff homer to Max Muncy, his selfless effort won universal respect. With a reasonably rested bullpen, the Red Sox won Games 4 and 5, clinching their fourth World Series title since 2004.

Those were thrilling days, a movie with so many plot twists to savor. But the sequel was a bust. Little that happened in 2019 — for Eovaldi or the disappointing Red Sox — was reminiscent of the year before.

Eovaldi was one of many Red Sox who could not produce as expected last season. The Red Sox rewarded Eovaldi in December 2018 as if he was certain to be rotation mainstay, signing him to a four-year, $68 million contract. But he endured a season marred by injury and ineffectiveness.

He finished with two wins and a 5.99 ERA in 23 appearances (12 starts), pitching just 67⅔ innings. On April 23, he required arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to remove loose bodies. He did not pitch in the majors again until July 22.

For better or worse, the Red Sox are counting on Eovaldi more than ever. Chris Sale’s left elbow is still barking, and while he has avoided Tommy John surgery for the time being, he spoke Thursday like someone who knows he’s at a career crossroads. David Price is in Los Angeles and telling anyone with a microphone how happy he is to swap coasts.

Eduardo Rodriguez may be ready to front the rotation after winning 19 games last season, but Eovaldi and Martin Perez are the only obvious starters beyond him. The Red Sox barely have a three-man rotation, let alone the standard five.

A very nasty strikeout reel. pic.twitter.com/qDjzMvd3dN

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 7, 2020

Eovaldi, who allowed one hit and one walk and struck out four in his three innings Saturday, said afterward the uncertainty in the rotation doesn’t affect his approach.

“No,’’ he replied when asked if he felt extra responsibility. “Like I’ve said before, I feel like [the starters] feed off one another. You go out there and you try to hold on to that ball as long as possible. You want to go out there and try to finish the game. That’s been the mentality of our starters.

“As a starter, you try and go as deep as you can in the ballgames. At least seven innings, get your closer and setup guy in the game, and finish strong.”

For all of Eovaldi’s determination and ability — he hit 99 miles per hour several times Saturday, and has touched 100 in his two previous starts this spring — game-to-game reliability hasn’t been his strong suit during his nine-year career.

Eovaldi owns a 46-54 career record and a 4.30 ERA, and his top career statistical comparison per baseball-reference.com is Kris Benson, a perennial underachiever for the Pirates and four other teams. Eovaldi hasn’t thrown more than 150 innings in a season since 2015, when he went 14-3 with a 4.20 ERA for the Yankees.

Eovaldi has made 25 starts, including the playoffs, with the Red Sox since coming over in a trade with the Rays in July 2019. The last time he pitched seven innings in a start was Game 3 of the 2018 American League Championship Series, when he shut out the Yankees on three hits through seven innings in a 16-1 win. He’s made it through at least seven innings two other times with the Red Sox — his first two starts with the team in ’18.

The Red Sox, who should have a deep and versatile bullpen, don’t necessarily need Eovaldi to pitch that deep into his starts. They need him to be there to make his turn every fifth day with as much quality as he can muster.

So far this spring, he’s provided that quality work every time out. In three starts, he’s pitched eight innings. He’s allowed just four hits, walked one — the Jays’ Travis Shaw, with two outs in the first inning Saturday — and struck out 12. He is yet to allow a run.

“I felt good out there,’’ he said. “My arm felt good. Felt like I was rushing through some pitches a little bit. I yanked a couple of fastballs and the splitter was a little inconsistent today, but I felt like I was able to navigate through everything.”

Eovaldi, who faced 11 batters, said he wouldn’t have minded being more efficient.

“They weren’t as aggressive as I expected, so they made me execute my pitches. Fifty-seven pitches in three innings is kind of high,’’ he said.

Before Eovaldi went out and delivered another encouraging performance, interim manager Ron Roenicke didn’t mask his enthusiasm about what he’d seen from the pitcher this spring.

“His stuff is so good,’’ said Roenicke before the game. “It’s really about as good as it can get. To have his command over his pitches as early as this, it’s got to be huge for his confidence.”

Eovaldi was confident and in command again Saturday. So far, he’s giving the Red Sox reason to be confident in him. Eovaldi has never quite been a sure thing, but after Rodriguez, he’s the surest thing they have.