Eduardo Rodriguez says he’s ‘100 percent’ after missing 2020 season
Rodriguez tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently dealt with myocarditis.
Eduardo Rodriguez is ready for the 2021 season.
The left-handed pitcher missed the entire 2020 season after testing positive for COVID-19 and subsequently dealt with myocarditis, inflammation of the heart that’s connected to COVID-19. Rodriguez’s process to get back on the mound took several months. After testing positive for COVID-19 and getting diagnosed with myocarditis in July, Rodgriguez wasn’t cleared to walk until the end of September.
As he was cleared to do normal things again, Rodriguez spent his offseason getting himself in shape to be a regular starting pitcher again.
“Physically, I feel great. I feel 100 percent,” Rodriguez told reporters Friday. “Like (Red Sox manager Alex Cora) said, I threw a bullpen two days ago, and I feel really good. I’m really excited to be here after everything I went through last year.
“That’s what I was working on this offseason, to get my body ready, to get my mind ready, to get everything ready. My conditioning, everything. I was working on that to be available to go out there every five days be able to throw 30-plus starts. I feel in that position right now, I feel stronger right now, I feel better. My shoulder is good. I threw a bullpen [session] a couple of days ago and it feels fine, it feels great. I feel ready.”
Any hopes that Rodriguez had of becoming the Red Sox’ ace were delayed a year though. With Sale still recovering from the surgery, Rodriguez projects to be the Red Sox’ Opening Day starter for the upcoming season. While Rodriguez says he’d be “honored” to get the Opening Day nod, that isn’t his goal for this season.
“My goal is to go out there every five days no matter what day it is, if it’s first, second, third, fourth or fifth game,” Rodriguez said. “Just go out every five days. I feel like Opening Day is just the first game of the season. After that, you face the aces if you’re the fifth guy and things like that — every time the other team has days off or we have days off, so that’s how it works. But if they give me the opportunity to be the Opening Day starter this year, I’m going to take it as an honor to be the Opening Day starter with the Boston Red Sox and go out there and pitch.”
The 2021 season is shaping up to be a big one for Rodriguez. In addition to likely being the Opening Day starter, Rodriguez is set to be a free agent for the first time in his career at season’s end. Despite the Red Sox’ poor 2020 season, Rodriguez thinks he and his team will have a strong 2021 season.
“I feel like we have a really good rotation, and when Sale gets back, it’s going to be way better,” Rodriguez said. “I was just going to say, don’t sleep on us, because we’re coming in really good. I’ve been out there the past three days with the guys, and we look really good.”
At the end of the day, Rodriguez is grateful to still have the chance to pitch professionally after what he went through in 2020.
“I mean, I just thank God to have the opportunity to pitch again,” Rodriguez said. “I’m not thinking about any of that right now. I’m just thinking about getting ready to pitch the season, enjoy Spring Training the most I can, learn from the guys, learn from the pitching coach and go out there and get ready for the season. That’s all I’m thinking about right now. I’m not thinking about anything else.”
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