3 Key players who might receive Qualifying Offers from the Red Sox

Will the Red Sox make a Qualifying Offer to Nathan Eovaldi?

Nathan Eovaldi will go down in franchise history as one of, if not the best midseason trade they’ve ever made.

When the Sox acquired Eovaldi at the 2018 deadline, it was not an impressive trade. He’d never been particularly remarkable with the Dodgers, Marlins, or Yankees, and the Rays were happy to send him to Boston.

But when he arrived in Boston, he instantly proved every doubter wrong. Over 12 games in the regular season, he posted a 3.33 ERA. His first two starts were seven and eight-inning shutouts, the latter coming in the Sox’ famous four-game sweep of the Yankees after GM Brian Cashman’s now-famous ‘Do Damage’ comments.

He continued to prove himself in the postseason, and cemented himself as a Sox legend in the World Series, when he threw nearly 100 pitches in relief in Game 3. For six breathtaking innings, he held down the fort. Though the Sox ended up losing 3-2, his performance inspired his teammates to fight back to win the following two games to bring a trophy back to Boston.

Unfortunately, injuries have peppered his career since high school. He’s had Tommy John surgery twice. In 2019, he had another elbow surgery to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow. In 2020, a right calf strain landed him on the Injured List. In June of this year, he went on the IL with lower back inflammation, and he returned to the IL in late August with right shoulder inflammation.

Eovaldi has been a dominant workhorse and electric competitor for Boston, but he can’t pitch forever. With how many pitchers have gotten injured this year and the impact it caused on the team, it’s safe to assume the Sox won’t be eager to dole out offers to repeat this season next year.