Red Sox: Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez will open season on disabled list

The Boston Red Sox are expected to place left-handed pitchers Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez on the disabled list to begin the 2018 season.

It looks like the Boston Red Sox are going to be short a pair of starting pitchers the first trip through the rotation.

Manager Alex Cora told reporters on Saturday that both Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez will open the season on the disabled list.

Pomeranz was expected to have his season debut delayed after missing time in camp with a forearm strain. The injury isn’t considered serious and shouldn’t sideline him for long. A late start could be a blessing in disguise for a pitcher who has never tossed more than 172 2/3 innings in a season. Limiting his workload early could mean he’ll be fresh for the stretch run.

Brian Johnson will take one of the vacant spots in the rotation. He may be destined for the bullpen once Boston’s starters are all healthy but he’s the best option they have to make a spot start.

There was hope that either Steven Wright or Rodriguez would be able to start the fourth game of the season in Tampa Bay, saving Johnson for the series in Miami. Rodriguez isn’t ready and Wright has been suspended, which will send the Red Sox scrambling for another starter.

Hector Velazquez appears to be the front runner for the final rotation spot, although he’s had a tough spring. Velazquez is 2-0 but has allowed 11 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA.

Justin Haley (2.12 ERA over six appearances, three starts) and Marcus Walden (0.69 ERA over seven appearances, one start) are also candidates mentioned by Cora. Both are non-roster invitees, so it would require a 40-man roster move to add either of them.

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The Red Sox won’t need a fifth starter the second time through the rotation thanks to off days in the schedule. Johnson may receive a second start to wrap up the first home series of the season on April 8 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston will undoubtedly turn the rotation back over to Chris Sale to begin the next series against the New York Yankees.

Regardless of which option they turn to for the fifth game of the season, the Red Sox should only have to rely on them for that one start. As luck would have it, that start will be against a Marlins team that held a fire sale this winter that turned their remaining roster into a glorified minor league team. Boston may escape that game with a win even if they are forced to turn to the eighth pitcher on their depth chart.

One of the injured starters should be ready by April 14 when Boston will need a fifth starter again. If Pomeranz and Rodriguez both have setbacks then at least Wright’s suspension would end before that spot in the rotation comes up a third time.

Next: 10 reasons to be excited about the 2018 Red Sox

While the Red Sox are opening the season with a shorthanded rotation, it appears they should have their top-five starters intact by the end of April.