The way too early 2019 Boston Red Sox starting rotation

Free agency is in full swing and the Winter Meetings are just days away. Today the Red Sox re-signed Nathan Eovaldi and are gearing up for next season. With that said, what should the starting rotation look like in 2019?

Going into the offseason the Red Sox had some major free agent questions to answer on the pitching front. With the return of Nathan Eovaldi pending a physical on the horizon, we now have an idea of what the starting rotation may look like.

I’m not going to add in random free agents that aren’t affiliated with the Red Sox or even anyone on the market. The Red Sox had a dominant starting rotation not only in the regular season but through October as well.

Today I’ll be looking at pitchers that are in-house already with the squad. Now, I’m sure some of you may not be shocked at who I choose and frankly, I don’t blame you.

The big thing I’m going to look at is where the puzzle pieces fit best in 2019. With a lot of moving pieces from Opening Day to the end of the World Series, I can see some shuffling to the rotation we came to know in 2018.

With the core of that rotation returning for 2019 I am anxious to see what Alex Cora will do. So with all that said, let’s get to the fun and see where 2019 can take us!

Chris Sale

Chris Sale has been the ace of the rotation since arriving in Boston in 2017. He more than retained that title with his run in 2018. Sale dazzled and dominated from April through October. I’m sure some you are shouting at your screens at me putting Sale as #2, but hear me out.

Yes, he had a great season finishing with a 12-4 record and a 2.11 ERA. This is a totally respectable stat line for any pitcher. Sale was even an early favorite for the CY Young.

But he would miss some time later in the season only pitching a few times in September. The postseason came about everyone was ready to see what Sale would do. Sale would dazzle the Yankees in the ALDS and walk out of Game 1 with a victory. That’s where things went a little haywire.

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Chris would miss the ALCS with a mystery stomach ailment. It was never fully explained what was wrong with Sale other than he had to go to the ER after Game 1 to get checked out. Some reported a stomach bug other just the vague “abdomen ailment.” But we wouldn’t see Sale again until the World Series.

He again would start Game 1 but would leave the game and gain a no-decision after going 4+ innings, giving up 3 runs and striking out 7. Not a bad showing but not what we came to expect from the fireballing lefty.

Sale would earn his spot in Red Sox lore by coming in during the 9th inning of Game 5 of the World Series. He would strike out the side, with the final victim being Red Sox nemesis Manny Machado.

But with question marks still surrounding his mystery stomach ailment and the shoulder issues he missed much of September with, I’d like to see Sale in the two hole.

Nathan Eovaldi

The big signing so far this offseason for the Red Sox was made earlier on Thursday. World Series hero Nathan Eovaldi and the Sox agreed to a 4-year/$67.5 million deal. Eovaldi will have to pass a physical considering his history with Tommy John surgery, I’m not surprised with the condition.

I have Nathan in the third spot here as the top of the rotation has two southpaws and I want to break that up to avoid giving lineups a chance to get into a groove. This was Rick Porcello’s spot during the last two seasons and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how Cora does it in 2019.

For me though, Nate is the guy for this position. With his ability to not only break 1000 mph but to maintain that velocity could be huge for this middle starter. Eovaldi had a strong showing for the Red Sox since arriving mid-season posting a 3-3 record and a 3.33 ERA. Strong numbers for a guy who didn’t pitch in 2017.

Eovaldi earned his spot in the hearts of every Red Sox fan with his desire to pitch every damn day he was allowed to. He would willingly start one day and then tell Cora he’d be in the pen the next night if he was needed. Never a hesitation, never a question. He was here to do whatever he needed to in order for the team to win.

His showing in game 3 of the World Series against the Dodgers put his heart and soul on the line and he became just that for the Sox. He was supposed to pitch the next day but came in when Alex Cora needed him and pitched innings. Sadly the night ended when he gave up a walk-off home run. He earned the respect of his team and fans the world over with that showing.

I seem Nate in the starting rotation no matter what, especially with the investment the Red Sox made in him today, and I believe he more than earned the third man role.

Rick Porcello

Rick Porcello has been the rock of the rotation since he arrived in Boston. His first season may not have gone the best but he would quickly bounce back. In 2016 Porcello would put on a campaign of 22-4 and a 3.15 ERA earning him the CY Young Award. An absolute career year for Rick and one that fans will remember fondly.

2017 Would prove to be another down year for Porcello as he would walk away with an 11-17 record. Not the best showing for the right-hander and a year we’d all like to forget. Then came 2018, 17-7 would be the final tally for Rick and another great season.

Much like his righty cohort Nathan Eovaldi, Porcello would prove invaluable to manager Alex Cora in the postseason. He would come out of the bullpen in relief in what felt like every game that he didn’t start. He didn’t care if he started the night before or was scheduled for the next day, he wanted to pitch.

I remember Rick saying something along the lines of not caring if his arm fell off during the postseason because a World Series ring would make it feel better. There is a reason why I want Porcello a bit lower in the rotation and I alluded to it above. The last few years he has been a roller coaster pitcher with ups and downs every other year.

So looking at his stat lines the last handful of years he tends to have great seasons during the even years and bad ones during the odd years. So with 2019 coming in hot, I am a bit nervous Porcello may follow his strong 2018 run with a lackluster season. I pray that I’m wrong but better safe than sorry.

Eduardo Rodriguez

Eduardo Rodriguez has been on the roster since 2015 and has come into his own the last few years. Going into 2018 he had a great buzz around him among the Fenway Faithful. During the season he showed glimpses of that promise but would time due to injuries.

E-Rod is the perfect guy on the roster to finish the rotation off. He’d be reprising his role as the #5 man from 2018 and I think that’s best for him. With the injuries he had this last season being the final guy in the rotation would allow for an easy replacement or shuffling of the days off.

Rodriguez can bring the heat when he is healthy and has no problem throwing it by batters. He is a great compliment to the other guys in the rotation as everyone brings their own skill set to the mound. I also like E-Rod here as he brings the rotation back to the left side after a pair of right-handers in Eovaldi and Porcello.

Rodriguez is another one of those pitchers that can eat up innings and give the bullpen some rest. With it not always being a guarantee that his stuff will be on and his career 4.12 ERA, it’s good to have a guy that can save the bullpen. If a game is getting out of hand he can stay in there and try and give the bats some time to rebound.

E-Rod is still young in his career and can always find that missing puzzle piece to make it click. Having him in the fifth man spot is the best place for him to continue to work towards meeting that potential that he has shown.

Coming off of a magic and electric 2018 season the Red Sox have a big year to follow. Looking at the stats, the chemistry, and the potential. I think it’s safe to say that the Red Sox have the best pitching rotation from top to bottom.

Other teams may have a better ace. They may have a better top two guys. They may have a better bullpen. But from every aspect of the pitching corps, the Red Sox have a level of camaraderie that I don’t see with any other squad.

What these guys were willing to do for one another not only on the field but off as well, that’s a team. 2019 is fast approaching and soon enough we’ll be getting the news from pitchers/catchers camp. Then we’ll really know what the roster will be ready to do in their follow up to the championship.

With our full starting rotation coming back in 2019 I am anxious as hell to see what they can do. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Alex Cora go back to the rotation that won him a World Series and I wouldn’t blame him at all. I know I’ll be glued to the tv every night to see what these guys can do as they defend their World Championship.