Red Sox starting pitching candidates for potential six-man rotation

FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox high fives Nathan Eovaldi #17 and Darwinzon Hernandez #63 during a team workout on February 20, 2020 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox high fives Nathan Eovaldi #17 and Darwinzon Hernandez #63 during a team workout on February 20, 2020 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
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BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 10: Alex Cora speaks alongside Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom during a press conference introducing him as the manager of the Boston Red Sox on November 10, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

There is a possibility the Red Sox kick off 2021 with a 6-man rotation

The 2020 campaign was a forgettable year for the Red Sox pitching staff after posting an alarming team ERA of 5.58. The hope is that the return of Alex Cora can allow the staff to turn things around along with the moves that Chaim Bloom has made to add depth to the rotation.

The club reported to Fort Myers on Thursday to kick off their Spring Training. Cora once again being the Sox manager made headlines itself. However, an ongoing debate about beginning the season with a 6-man rotation has not gone away. AC told the media that they are still not ruling it out, and this could become a trend in MLB sooner rather than later.

Boston would be wise to do this considering that they will be without ace Chris Sale for at least the first half of the season as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery. It will only give the pitchers more time to rest and an opportunity to see who can be a reliable and consistent option. Let’s take a look at what this 6-man rotation could look like.

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