The Boston Red Sox on Monday made a shocking move by naming Nathan Eovaldi their closer once he returns from the injured list.
Eovaldi has been on the shelf since April after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. Many expected him to come back as a starter, but after some severe struggles from the relief pitchers, a decision was made to move the right-hander from the starting rotation to the bullpen.
Before Boston’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski addressed the media at Rogers Centre, saying the move comes from a sense of “urgency,” per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
Dombrowski says Eovaldi decision reflects ‘urgency’ and longer-than-expected timetable to return. ‘It doesn’t preclude us … from lengthening him out’ as starter at some point.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 2, 2019
However, Dombrowski did note Eovaldi may not be in the bullpen for the remainder of the 2019 campaign because it depends on how he performs or potential “other acquisitions” that could change the pitcher’s role with the team.
Per Dombrowski, the plan is to use Eovaldi from the bullpen for the rest of the season – but his performance or other acquisitions could alter that thinking.
Looking further ahead, they see him as a starter in 2020.— Michael Silverman (@MikeSilvermanBB) July 2, 2019
The Red Sox are hopeful to have Eovaldi return from his injury shortly after the All-Star break. Though there is no definitive date, it certainly is reassuring he could be back as soon as next week.
