Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi
Last but not least, it’s only right to include the Red Sox’s most valuable starter on this list, and that is Nathan Eovaldi.
On the surface, some of Eovaldi’s numbers so far this season (3.67 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) may not necessarily jump off the page, but you can make the case that the right-hander has been one of, if not the most consistent starting pitcher in Boston’s rotation.
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79 games into the 2021 campaign, six different hurlers have made at least one start for the Sox. Among them, Eovaldi — who has made 16 starts — ranks first in innings pitched (90 2/3), first in wins (eight), first in ERA, second in expected ERA (3.61), first in FIP (2.63), third in xFIP (3.55), first in win probability added (1.11), and first in fWAR (2.8), according to FanGraphs.
Additionally, Eovaldi has only allowed a total of four home runs in his 90 2/3 innings on the mound, making him one of the toughest right-handed starters in the American League to go deep off of.
With Chris Sale still on the road back from Tommy John surgery and Eduardo Rodriguez falling victim to a healthy amount of poor luck so far this year, Eovaldi has essentially become the de-facto ace of Cora’s starting rotation.
Because of this, the fiery 31-year-old deserves some recognition and what better way to do that than have the players and those in the Commissioner’s office send him to his first career All-Star Game in a few weeks?