There's been nothing official from the Red Sox yet, but with 10 days to go before the team's season opener, it certainly appears as though Nathan Eovaldi will be the team's starter when the Sox host the Baltimore Orioles on July 24.
For one thing, there's the math. After going four innings and 66 pitches (plus another inning with 16 pitches on a mound situated on the concourse) in an intrasquad game Tuesday, Eovaldi is the most built-up of the team's starters. For another, he's set to next pitch Sunday, five days before the opener, lining him up for the assignment. Finally, there's the fact that the most logical choice for the opener, Eduardo Rodriguez, has yet to be cleared to join the Sox in Summer Camp as he awaits multiple negative tests for COVID-19 in the Miami area.
"I haven't said anything to him yet,'' said Ron Roenicke. "That conversation will probably happen in the next day or two. You guys can figure out the numbers there. But I haven't said anything to Nate yet. That conversation will happen in the next couple of days.''
"I haven't been told anything yet,'' said Eovaldi. "We'll see what happens. Either way, I'm going to be ready to go.''
In addition to being the most accomplished available starter, Eovaldi is in a good spot to assume that responsibility.
"I think anytime you're in a position where the team counts on you, it's a good feeling,'' said Roenicke. "He's pitched enough in the big leagues. He's had enough success in the big leagues. He's gone through struggles in the big leagues. So, I think all those things allow him to handle it if we go with Opening Day with him. I'm not worried about the makeup. If he's that guy, we feel good starting with him.''
It would seem that Eovaldi has progressed nicely and could be ready to throw nearly 100 pitches on opening night.
"I feel like I'm ready now,'' said Eovaldi. "Before we came back, I was throwing a lot -- five or six innings, 100 pitches each time. I've just been having my usual soreness. Nothing new has popped up, so I feel like I'm ready.''
''Hopefully, we get him up to six innings and the pitch count will be there,'' said Roenicke. "His strength is there and his command has been pretty good. We really are happy with where he's at. We know we're going need innings from us, with what our rotation is. He's got to be a guy we're going to count on to give us innings most every game.''
"It's definitely going to be important to go out there and get quick out and stay out there as long I can,'' Eovaldi said.
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The Red Sox will announce later this week that they will add five players to their Players Pool, according to a baseball source.
Added to the pool will be: infielder Jeter Downs, outfielder Jarren Duran and pitchers Jay Groome, Bryan Mata and Tanner Houck.
The addition of those five will bring that total to 55, leaving five additional spots vacant.
It's likely all five will report directly to Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium and work out there, apart from the major league roster players.
It remains open to question whether any of the players to be added will be ready to contribute to the major league team at all this season. Downs, Duran and Houck would seem to be the closest in their development, while Mata and especially Groome need more time.
But this way, the Sox can take arguably five of their best six or seven prospects and give them some development time in intrasquad games at Pawtucket, rather than have this being a completely lost year.
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Three players -- Rodriguez, Darwinson Hernandez, Josh Taylor -- remain sidelined after positive COVID-19 tests. Roenicke said Rodriguez has produced "a little better testing, so that's good. We just need to continue to get a couple of good tests. All three of them, actually, the testing has been better on all three. We know they're getting over it and once we start getting those better tests, we're getting close.'' ... The Sox are adding extended dugout room to both the visitor's dugout and home dugout at Fenway. Work crews were dismantling seats across several sections to prepare for that Tuesday. Teams will be allowed to have as many as nine players and as many as three coaches in the dugouts during the regular season games. ... Roenicke is particularly happy with what he's seen in the at-bats from both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi. "It's really nice to see,'' Roenicke said. "Not just the results, but thew swings. The swings on foul balls, the takes. ... I know Tim (Hyers, hitting coach) is really pleased with where they're at right now. It's nice. You hope you can maintain this and carry this right into the season. Sometimes you don't want to peak too early. But I would certainly rather have a guy swinging the bat (well) anytime. They both look great. They're hitting the ball the other way, they're pulling the ball. They're patient. They're not jumping up there. A lot of good things.''