Red Sox: Boston’s starting rotation is set to sink the team in 2020

Red Sox rotation will not cut it

The names reverberate and they were successful at certain moments in time when it counted the most for the Red Sox.  Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, Josh Beckett, Chris Sale, Jon Lester, and even David Price and Tim Wakefield providing the impetus that became a rotation that would lead Boston to the ultimate baseball success – a World Series title.

For the 2020 season or the 40% of it that will be played the key ingredient for rotation stability – lefty Eduardo Rodriguez – is on the COVID-19 IL. E-Rod has made the expected professional assurances that he most certainly hopes to be ready for Opening Day. Rodriguez is the staff anchor and his status will be in the wait and see category.

What remains does not bring for me a surge of confidence that the Red Sox rotation will be able to hand over to the bullpen a comfortable lead. Nathan Eovaldi has an exceptionally large question mark attached to just what he can provide.  Eovaldi’s  2019 season was a lost one and with a history of multiple arm surgeries, Eovaldi may not be the answer.

The Red Sox have now come to where a Martin Perez (10-7, 5.12), Ryan Weber (2-4, 5.09), and Collin McHugh (4-5, 4.70) represent the remains of the rotation – remains that quite possibly a starving buzzard would pass on. McHugh is another arm in limbo as he recovers – hopefully, he can return to his form of a few years back, but with a grand total of 15 wins the last three years I have little optimism.

The Red Sox do have opportunity to offer if someone suddenly finds “their game” and makes an impression. The throw it against the wall and hope something sticks are the usual eclectic mix of castaways and minor league adventures. Maybe the Red Sox will discover something in Chris Mazza that four other organizations missed?

Why bother with the list any further? If your rotation is being plugged by Kyle Hart, Jeffrey Springs, or Matt Hall you are looking at the need to resurrect the 1927 New York Yankees to provide the necessary offense to compensate for the rotation. Did I miss anyone? Hope so.

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Is this a lost season? I will proceed in full Debbie Downer mode since the key ingredient in a championship souffle is pitching. And pitching – to speak bluntly – we ain’t got or at least the pitching that can keep you in the game. Even with Rodriguez in full health, the rotation is still as creaky as my knees. Can Sale throw right-handed?

I am not ready to throw in the towel but picture this rotation even in this beginning summer training as being on the ropes taking body shots. Get the towel ready to toss. The only redeeming feature is not much is expected unless your glasses are high-powered rose-colored so it does afford management the luxury of what amounts to a theater version of a casting call.

The rotation possibilities will be given the opportunity to convince management and voracious media and fans just who deserves an encore performance for the real season – 2021. For me, the season provides just that – an extended version of a real spring training only with legitimate games being played. The Red Sox may just catch that player who was flotsam and now suddenly sparkles.

History is against this rotation and that is clearly demonstrated with the four previous winners this century. There are far too many concerns, question marks, unproven pitchers, and injuries to generate a good feeling about this season scenario.  The rotation has more chips and dents than a 1975 Ford Pinto and you win with pitching and this rotation does not provide it.