The Red Sox bullpen changes shape

Through TC Zencka | October 2, 2021 To 12:40 CDT

The Red Sox enclosure – ranked 12th in the Majors with a collective ERA of 3.97 – will have to make way for a few more bodies today. As the season boils down to two last games against the Nationals, the manager Alex cora is everyone on the bridge, telling newbies Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta to be ready to exit the pen, if necessary, by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (via Twitter). Both Pivetta and Eovaldi have spent the entire season coming out of the Boston rotation.

Eovaldi and Pivetta are a necessary guarantee in part because Garrett whitlock is still not ready to return. Whitlock has a chance to return for Sunday’s game which is more than can be said for Josh taylor. The 28-year-old southpaw is out for the foreseeable future, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey (via Twitter). Taylor has been a major contributor, appearing in 61 games and serving as a primary southpaw among Boston’s relief corps. A back injury ended his season. He has a 3.40 / 2.83 FIP ERA, holding hitters of the same hand to a miserable 0.146 / 0.222 / 0.159 line in 90 appearances at home plate.

Without Taylor, Darwinzon Hernandez, Austin davis, and starter removed Martin perez are the other lefties available for Cora against the Nats, who feature a heavy roster of lefties or switch hitters, including Juan soto, but also Josh bell, Yadiel Hernandez, and Keibert Ruiz, which the Nats often present around the middle of the order.

As for Whitlock, he’s been one of Boston’s most valuable players, which is certainly a surprising development for the rule 5 pick. Either way, the 25-year-old has stabilized the pen. of the Red Sox with 72 1/3 innings spread over 45 appearances, good for an ERA of 1.99 / 2.89 FIP. Whitlock had eight wins, two saves and 14 catches en route to a 1.5 fWAR season.

Without Whitlock, Cora will leave open the possibility of using Eovaldi or Pivetta out of the pen. Tanner Houck and Chris Sale are set to start the final two games of baseball, putting everyone else on the roster on call as they try to fend off the Mariners and Blue Jays for the last place in the American League playoffs. Probably, Eduardo Rodriguez would be available to start a possible one-game playoff.