Red Sox Set Pitching Rotation For Start Of Season; Eovaldi Gets Ball In Game 2
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston rotation to start the 2019 season is set. Now all the Red Sox need to do to start their World Series defense is get to Seattle.
We knew that Chris Sale would get the ball when the Red Sox open the 2019 season on Thursday night against the Mariners, but on Tuesday, Boston manager Alex Cora filled us in on his plan for the opening weeks of the campaign. Who goes after Sale is a bit surprising.
Cora announced that Nathan Eovaldi will toe the rubber Friday night in Seattle and not David Price, who has been pushed back after battling an illness late in camp. Price is pitching in Boston's exhibition finale against the Cubs on Tuesday, set to throw four innings in his final tune-up of the spring.
When the regular season rolls around, Price will pitch Boston's fifth game of the year, their first of four against the Athletics in Oakland. Cora said that Price will be available for relief duties in Boston's first two games should the need arise.
Between Eovaldi and Price, Eduardo Rodriguez and Rick Porcello will start Boston's final two games against the Mariners in their first series of the season.
If there are no rainouts on Boston's West Coast trip, Sale will be in line to start the team's home opener at Fenway Park on April 9.
Now if only the team would name a closer...
