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Red Sox breakout candidates for the 2020 season

By Sam Colman

BOSTON, MA - JULY 30: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on July 30, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 30: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on July 30, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Red Sox SP Nathan Eovaldi:

We all remember Nathan Eovaldi‘s heroics in the 2018 World Series when he came out of the bullpen in extras and threw 6 innings of 1 run ball which eventually led to a loss. The Red Sox initially got him from the Rays for Jalen Beeks. He played well in 2018 which led to the Red Sox signing him to a 4-year deal worth $68 million. He then struggled in 2019.

In the 2018 regular season, Eovaldi appeared in 12 games (11 were starts), going 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA. In 2019, however, he appeared in 23 games (only 12 were starts) and finished 2-1 with a 5.99 ERA and 0 SV.

Throughout the season, he was moved from the rotation to be the closer, and then moved back to the rotation after the closer experiment failed. It is also important to note that he underwent surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow midway through the 2019 season.

For the 2020 season, Eovaldi will have a much larger role after Chris Sale underwent Tommy John surgery, the Red Sox traded away David Price, and Rick Porcello signed with the New York Mets. He will now most likely serve as the No. 2 starter in the 2020 rotation instead of pitching from the back end of the rotation. He will have big shoes to fill for the shortened season.

Luckily, he pitched very well in Spring Training 1.0. Eovaldi went 2-0 in three starts after giving up 4 hits and 0 earned runs in 8 total innings. Along with him being healthy, as well as the fact that he has been upgraded to the second starter, are reasons why Eovaldi can potentially have a breakout season.

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