Red Sox: Predictions and Grades for the 2016 pitching staff
By Tyler Mason
Grade: B
On May 28th, the young prospect with a lot of potential, Eduardo Rodriguez, made his Major League debut against the Texas Rangers. He did not disappoint Red Sox Nation to say the least. He went 7.2 innings without allowing a run.
If I were the manager, I would have Rodriguez as the number 3 in the rotation. I think he is going to be special. But my early predictions have Porcello ahead of him simply because of his veteran presence and that the Sox think he won’t have that bad of a year again.
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Rodriguez has the stuff to be a number 2 or potentially a number 1 in the near future. But there is one minor issue that may stop him from reaching his full potential. That issue is that he tips his pitches. Right after the All-Star break, Rodriguez faced the L.A. Angels and got lit up. The reason was because hitters knew what was coming. And when hitters like Mike Trout and Albert Pujols know what pitch is coming, you aren’t going to get the best results if you’re the pitcher. It’s so bad that announcer Jerry Remy knew what he was going to throw.
Now obviously this issue can be fixed, and if it is fixed, you will be the seeing the Eduardo Rodriguez we love for most of the season. I have Rodriguez as a number 4 right now, but that may change when the season gets going.
Prediction. 16-7, 3.04 ERA, 198.2 innings pitched.
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