MONDAY: Eovaldi will go under the knife tomorrow, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports via Twitter. The club anticipates that the righty will be sidelined for four to six weeks, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets.
SATURDAY, 4:27pm: Eovaldi is indeed “leaning” toward minor elbow surgery to clean up loose bodies, per Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.
10:37am:Red Sox right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a loose body in his elbow, per MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. Bobby Poyner will take Eovaldi’s roster spot (Twitter links). The move is retroactive to April 18th.
This is not a new injury for Eovaldi, as just last season he had arthroscopic surgery to remove a similar loose body, causing him to miss roughly two months of the season. Obviously, Eovaldi recovered just fine, but the injury is still a blow to the defending champs as they have yet to play up to the level of expectations thus far in 2019. There has been no indication as to whether or not this current IL stint will require surgery. NBC Sports Boston’s Evan Drellich posted this report from November which gave Eovaldi a clean bill of health, though of course, Eovaldi has put a few more miles on the elbow since then.
The injury hits after just four starts this season in which Eovaldi did not record a decision, totaling 21 innings with an even 6.00 ERA. It was certainly a rough start as his walk rate was up (4.71 BB/9), strikeout rate was down (6.86 K/9), and he surrendered 2.57 home runs per game on a 25% HR/FB rate. Those numbers were bound to normalize at least somewhat over time, though obviously this new injury revelation might speak to his early season struggles as well.
Poyner, 26, will join the team as a left-handed option out of the bullpen for the time being. He went 1-0 with a 3.22 ERA across 20 appearances out of the Red Sox pen last season with an impressive 9.7 K/9 to 1.2 BB/9 in the admittedly small sample.
It begins…
Exactly. I know he was great in the playoffs but the fact DD gave him four years, with his injury history, was a really bad idea.
I wanted my Astros to get him, but not near the price the Sox paid.
Begin what? His 3rd TJ?
If he came back from that, he would be an inspiration like that Herculean playoff start, he took the loss in.
(despite fact took L,he was praised what did for team.)
Remember what I said? “Lackey clause” would be wise. Do not understand why DD did not include it, on pitcher with not one, but TWO TJ surgeries in his history.
A few pitchers have already had 3 TJ surgeries and made it back. Jason Isringhausen is perhaps the most successful. Jonny Venters is a bit more recent. Thankfully it’s just a “loose body” that they need to remove. If I remember right Jose Rijo was initially diagnosed with a bone spur back in 1995. He didn’t pitch again until 2001. I know there have been major medical breakthroughs since then but Eovaldi needs to figure out why he keeps breaking down and make some adjustments. He could easily pitch another 10 years if he can just stay on the mound.
Injury prone pitcher + not getting any younger = great candidate for huge contract
MLB exec: Seems right to me!
You do understand that nobody is getting younger, right? You aged a few moments just reading this post.
bwahaha
nope, i’m immortal
well played sir, well played lol
Yeah sort of like Jacoby Ellsbury!
Sounds like a move Cub’s Theo Epstein would make. Just like he signed Brandon Morrow, who by the way has suffered another set back during his rehab stint and Yu Darvish. Both pitchers north of 30 years old with a history of health concerns.
You do realize David Price has pitched fairly decent for the team so far, correct? sure, he missed about half a year with an elbow issue cpl years back, but has been a horse for 2y and been a front SP as well, what they paid for pretty much.
As for Eovaldi? I’ve still got no problems with that deal. Figure cpl months and he’s back, it’s not any kind of UCL, nor shoulder injury that is serious. This is people here over reacting (like normal) to a chip needing removed.
That spot can be taken from within by either Brian Johnson, Hector velazquez short term until Michael Shawaryn/Darwin Hernandez are ready by possibly June/July if Eovaldi is not ready by then. Boston has options available.
Assuming that he indeed is out maybe 2 months…which can either be a very aggressive assessment or possibly longer, you’re okay with this, his first year of a 4 /$68 Million dollar contract already cutting his starts back into this regular seasons 20 range, not counting any playoffs, and hoping this isn’t the start of 3 more years of excuses (given his medical history) for his being on the IL list more often than not…..Okay! I guess that’s an opinion! Not shocked at all by your post as everything Red Sox is always good with you.
And by the way, as a Yankee fan, I am aware of Tanaka and his injury potential….just in case you were going to go there as well!
Start of 3 more years of excuses? Sounds more like a disgruntled NYY fan who didn’t like what they got out of him and I remember saying when they traded for him at the time that he wasn’t as good as advertised since had watched many of his starts as a Marlin back when NYY fans were drooling over his 1 true (at the time) pitch.. The FB
Age difference between Tanaka- Eovaldi alone is huge. Another big one for tanaka likely finishes him.besides, never was bringing that up.. You did rocky.
If you have watched any of his games this year.. His command seems to be off, other than his last start. The velocity, even cutter just started using a lot the last 2 seasons seem to be fine, same with the slider. Arm might have been bothering him also. i don’t see anything wrong, seriously with missing 15 starts, only the nay sayers and fan boys of other teams do and for the record? You don’t see me agreeing with everything Boston does and unlike some fans? I WATCH other games as well my favorites are not involved in. How about you?
By the way, David Price is an idiot. He missed a start against the Yankees because he played too much fortnight, and he said that him, Betts and JD might get traded, which he most likely made up
Here we go…always a disgruntled Yankee fan with alternate reasons for comments.
Eovaldi is quite a long time ago for Yankee fans and my point is that with a guy who has had not 1 but 2 TJ surgeries…..you’re always taking a chance that this guy is a walking IL candidate…..and he was just signed for rather big money regardless.
Can’t you just admit that this guy had just as much potential for failure as he did success.
Eovaldi v Tanaka…..this will always separate Yankee fans vs Sox fans……I brought it up because it is always brought up when any criticism is made by a Baseball Fan of any Red Sox player whether accurate or not….Stop being a homer who accuses everyone else of the same.
“Stop being a homer who accuses everyone else of the same”
Pretty hilarious actually. Have been mainly a RS fan since 1965 when they started ST in Winter Haven and doubt it’s going to change at all. Stop trying to twist words of mine also. I NEVER used the word “disgruntled”. That is one have noticed several of other team fans throwing about after catching them posting whoppers.
.
You definitely used the word disgruntled in your very last comment
Yet nobody wanted Keuchel with a clean history
David Price said yesterday that they might start trading players like Mookie , JD and himself. Imagine that
Oh ya, they’ll get a ton for Price and his contract…..maybe Rob Refsnyder…..
Waaaaaaay to early for that kind of talk. Ya, they’ve played miserably, Rays have done well. Lots of horses lead the field at the 1/8th pole….lots of losing horses.
Price is the only one pitching decent right now!!!
That sounds really outlandish out of context, but I looked for the comments and found an NY Post article where Price says such trades would be a possibility if the team doesn’t play better. Not sure if the Post is where you read his comments, but IMO, in that context, it makes sense – it read to me like an attempt to motivate his teammates.
They were talking about it yesterday on MLB Central
ESPN, Bleacher Report, FS1, and just about every sports outlet. Where’s this guy get his data?
Um, ok. I wasn’t questioning whether or not Price said it; I was commenting on the context. But sarcasm is cool, even when unwarranted, right?
They have done it before with Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzales and Carl Crawford to the Dodgers when they weren’t playing well! I would consider moving Betts anyway because he is going to command Bryce Harper money in free agency anyway !
Or trout money…
Let’s hope so
Just put the whole team on IL.
Poyner looks like a decent pitcher. Wonder why he was even in the minors to start the season.
Their future looks bleak, High payroll, injuries. I LOVE IT. Their time is over Dustin P. Should retire, he is washed up.
no he should keep trying to stick it out, so they have to pay the rest of that contract. they shouldn’t get a break by him retiring
I remember in the off season all the Red Sox fans thought Nate eovaldi was the best move Boston could have made Wonder if anybody still thinks that
Nate deserved that contract n he’ll be fine. I was very happy for this guy who put himself on the line for the team. In baseball you would never see that Lina unselfishness especially when he had no contract for the next season. I have faith in Nate, n I’m happy they showed faith signing him.
“Deserved that contract”…..REALLY…..I guess you believe in paying for past performance with future money!
He put himself on the line for the team because he’s a professional ballplayer who was playing for the right to go and win the World Series, and also for a BRAND NEW CONTRACT with somebody!
He more than anybody, realized what was at stake…..a multi year contract with anybody convinced that his past medical issues were in deed in the past….which apparently they aren’t!
Most people I heard thought he was massively overpaid and constantly a huge injury risk. It was a dumb signing from day one
They could have had Joe Kelly and Adam Ottovino for the same money they spent on Nate. Not a wise allocation of resources.
You can have Kelly and his almost 10 ERA back.
Lol good one Horror
Have you seen how Kelly is doing? And did you watch Kelly all last summer? If you did it’s no wonder they let him go.
Nate is a starter, not reliever.
Well then…what was all that talk after signing him that the Sox might indeed put him in the bullpen to take over the closers spot after not resigning Kimbrel?
Why would they want kelly back? he isn’t any good
Gio Gonzalez can slot right into his spot.
The Eovaldi signing was certainly one of the worst of the offseason. The guy has one average season and a good showing during the last few appearances and he gets paid like a top-notch starter.
This could very well end up being a minor issue or maybe it’s the beginning of a recurring nagging elbow, who knows.
Regardless, it’s still worth it to point out — if I’m correct — Chris Capuano is arguably the most successful (SP) two-time TJ recipient. While Cap had some solid years, it doesn’t present a promising outlook for Eovaldi.
Imagine what would have been said had Boston NOT re-signed Eovaldi this offseason. Had they penny-pinched, got a Matt Shoemaker instead and justified the move by rationalizing the luxury tax people would have been livid.
At the time it was the signing to make for Boston. Very easy to question it after a bad month and a DL stint.
Most intelligent baseball fans know Eovaldi’s massive injury history, and lack of prolonged success. He was completely overpaid, and it was just dumb from day one. No hindsight needed. It made no sense to pay him that.
By your argument, most intelligent baseball fans would say Darvish and Heyward were completely overpaid and awful signings with no hindsight needed. The same reasons they were signed by the Cubs are the same reasons the Red Sox signed Eovaldi.
I would have to agree with you on Darvish and Heyward. Darvish had just gotten knocked around pretty badly in the playoffs and the baseball world seemed to be split on Heyward. Those of us that don’t swear by analytics as the end all be all of baseball looked at him and said he was barely worth $50m and laughed hard when he signed the huge contract. He was a prime example of not seeing the forest for the trees.
Heyward and Darvish are terrible signings. I’ve killed the Cubs for those signings over and over again. Just because they were terrible signings does that mean I can’t comment that another team made a mistake too?? That’s such a dumb point, that proves absolutely nothing….
Why are you two acting like the Heyward and Darvish contracts being a mistake is a novice thought? OBVIOUSLY they were terrible signings! Everyone knows that!! That conversation has been exhausted. I was simply saying that the Eovaldi deal was always a mistake too. It’s funny just because I’m a Cubs fan, as soon as I say anything everyone is like “oh what about Heyward and Darvish?!” It’s Ridiculous, Cubs fans know those contracts are bad. Move on!!!
This was always the risk in signing Eo, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that has watched him over the years. Great stuff, breaks down often.
Holy crap, think its gonna be a little more difficult for these pitchers to get extensions/ long term deals in the future?
I mean, outside of Scherzer, what one has actually worked out?
Eovaldi, degrom and severino all hurt weeks into new deals.
And Sale looks like complete garbage. No wonder he wanted that deal too
If Eo has to go to the IL, I think the recent DFA of Erasmo R opens up a spot on the 40-man for Mike Shawaryn, who looks to be the readiest of the bunch to step into a rotation slot while the Eo situation is sorted out. I mean, Hector V is there, but he isn’t being stretched out, and this team really needs someone new to step up with some promise for the future. I’d love to see Shawaryn get that chance.
This is about the least surprising thing we’ve heard all year. Can’t believe he got such a large multi year deal with his injury history.
Aren’t you advocating players making more money? Eovaldi gets paid and you’re still not happy. Had he not received the contract you’d be up in arms unhappy with owners not investing in him.
It’s amazing how you make non existent arguments up in your head
You want owners to pay players a lot more money. Fact. Then Eovaldi, deserving or not, receives a big payday. You disagree with it. Another fact.
How hard is it to ignore my posts, especially if you’re just going to blatantly troll like this?
Nate Eovaldi is done . That bum elbow will never be right again
offseason surgery should’ve been the plan – shame on sox med team for not seeing it sooner
Honestly, I wouldn’t be too concerned about this. Eovaldi’s elbow just seem like something that’s always gonna be a problem for him.
Pretty sure when he gets back he’ll have a near repeat in performance as 2018.
However, I believe his elbow issues are eventually gonna catch up with him, just not now.
Talk about karma… I guess the ny trolls can go cry over judge also hitting the IL…
It is too bad Dombrowski and Red Sox management didn’t use the World Series to reload this team. They really needed to reorganize payroll and focus on keeping their kids.
Eovaldi was not a wise signing at that price with his history. The same thing with Sale. The market didn’t save them which is why Price didn’t opt out because he knew no one was going to give him more. They caught linting in a bottle last year as everything came together at the end. They have a lot of guys being paid over their current production.
They are losing a lot of decent support guys after the season.
Yeah Eovaldi was way over paid. It was such a dumb needless contract.
Andujar
Sanchez
Hicks
Judge
Stanton
Severino
Didi
Tulo
Bird
I know I missed somebody Just wow how are they 10/10. And how good of a signing was DJ
The Eovaldi contract was idiotic for
Day one. Dude gets hurt constantly, and rarely keeps up the level he pitched at during the playoffs. It just made zero sense with the other needs.
Probably the dumbest comment I’ve seen. What “other needs”?
Biggest long term question mark for the Sox was in the rotation with sale and porcello headed to FA after ’19, and eovaldi/pomeranz FA in ’18.
Buy into the media hype all you want, but kelly basically stunk all season. Kimbrel leaving left the hole at closer, but every other “need” is currently filled for this year. There’s also a guy (darwin) close to ready to be called up for the bullpen which, last I checked, hasn’t been a 2019 weakness either.
Eovaldi was great not only in the playoffs, but the regular season as well. I still don’t have a problem with the signing. if we get the same production this year as last year by the time all is said and done I’m ok with it.
Go back to watching cubs games where your “knowledge” of a team and it’s situation may have some (limited) relevance.
What about Catcher? Swihart/Leon/Vazquez isn’t a plan, it’s a cry for help.
Interesting question/point.
However, there really wasn’t a clear upgrade available out there that fit. Of the FA catchers only grandal, with his QO attached, we’re a potential upgrade and he stunk to high heaven in the post season – both aspects making him not really an answer.
Aside from him, the remaining upper tier C available were mostly 35 years old, or older – oldest I believe being 38.
In the abstract you already have a top defensive C in leon who can’t hit (plenty of those in FA too but not an upgrade), vazquez had a down year but arguably strong arm and decent framing skill, and flashes of a serviceable bat. That displaces your 0.0 to 1.0 war class FAs from being an upgrade.
Swihart I was always a fan of, if for no other reason than his bat playing well with consistent ABs and the fact he NEVER was able to finish development after being called up early due to mismanagement.
Farm system meant a trade was out of the question, so…
I’m not sure that was upgradable, but to the extent it mightve been, the eovaldi contract (or other fa/extension $$$) didn’t IMO, get in the way of doing anything
It’s funny you think my point was the “dumbest comment you’ve ever seen”. When most everyone on here agrees that paying him that much was a reach at best. Of course they have needs. As great as they were last year, the Red Sox have major payroll issues coming soon. If you can’t see that then you may be the dumbest person on the website I’ve ever seen. Eovaldi is not that good hurt constantly, and the signing was a massive overpay. Get a life Captain Moron.
Dombrowski being Dombrowski. He’s a plague on minor league systems. I hope Sox fans enjoyed last year’s title because it’s gonna be a while before they win again. Bad trades and even worse contracts and extensions will be the downfall of this team. They were about to get out from the Sandoval deal and promptly added two more horrible contracts to the team in Sale and Eovaldi. The only reason Sale was given that deal was to protect the trade that sent Moncada to Chicago for him.
Damn. I feel for the guy. Best Wishes for a full recovery
Wow! I did not see this coming.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery from a Yankee fan. I saw him pitch for the Dodgers Yankees, and now the Red Sox. For what he’s gone through I was happy for his performance last season.