Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez struggles in second rehab start

The Red Sox lefty has struggled to regain his pre-injury form.

Scheduled to throw 80-90 pitches in his second rehab start, Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez failed to work past the fifth inning on Tuesday. The left-hander gave up three runs, all earned, on four hits and five walks. He did strike out a batter per inning, but that’s a small silver lining in an otherwise disappointing outing.

Tuesday’s start marks the second rough outing for Rodriguez as he tries to recover from a right knee subluxation that has kept him out since June 1. Last Thursday, he pitched just three innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits, including one home run.

To say that his time in the minor leagues has been disappointing would be an understatement. Red Sox analyst Dennis Eckersley criticized Rodriguez after his first start, which likely led to David Price’s confrontation with the Hall of Famer. Eck was right though, Rodriguez has been atrocious so far. More so, the current state of the rotation is tied to his recovery.

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Prior to the game in which he injured his knee, Rodriguez had compiled a 2.77 ERA with 59 strikeouts, 21 walks, and held opponents to a .652 OPS over 55.1 innings. At that point, he had been the second-best pitcher in the rotation behind Chris Sale and looked to be emerging as the top-3 starter many had projected he would. Regaining a pitcher of that caliber would be a huge addition to any team. Especially one looking to run away with their division.

Though in the meantime, the Red Sox have seen improved production from Drew Pomeranz, the return of David Price, and the emergence of Doug Fister as a potentially viable major league pitcher. As Rodriguez’s replacement in the rotation, Fister’s future is inextricably tied to the lefty’s recovery.

On Monday, manager John Farrell said that the team would evaluate Rodriguez themselves when he rejoins the team Thursday in Tampa Bay, where the Red Sox will close out the first half of their season. It’s yet to be seen whether his lackluster outing will change that plan, but for now, the club is considering two options:

Activate him out of the bullpen to give him extra work during the Tampa series, or;
Send him back to Pawtucket for a third rehab start.

We’ll likely have to wait until Thursday for an official decision, but either way, he’ll be back in the rotation after the All-Star break. Which means that Fister’s time in the starting five is coming to a close.

The 33-year-old has performed amicably in his two starts since being claimed off waivers, allowing six runs in 11 innings while striking out 11 and walking six. His fastball velocity is sitting at 90-mph, a four-year high after he struggled in Washington and Houston, giving some the impression that he’s ready to stick on a major league roster. He’ll have another chance to leave the Red Sox with a positive impression as he takes the mound Wednesday night in Texas, which will more than likely be his final audition.

With no place left for him in the starting rotation, could Fister be a serviceable long-man out of the bullpen and option to spot-start when need be? Wednesday’s star is the chance for him to show that he’s worth holding on to, even when Rodriguez is healthy.

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As for Rodriguez, the next few days will be crucial to his recovery. If the team is convinced of his health and is just looking to see if his stuff is back where it was in April and May, look for them to bring him out of the bullpen for a game or two in Tampa. Otherwise, it’s back to the bus for one more minor league start.

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