After contentious discussions, the MLB lockout is over and teams have begun their spring training schedules. Opening Day has been pushed to April 14, which gives teams some extra time to finalize their rosters and rotations. In this series, TGH will be summarizing each team’s 2021 season and predicting their Opening Day pitching rotation. Here is the projected Boston Red Sox Pitching Rotation for 2022.
Summary
The Red Sox re-hired manager Alex Cora in November of 2020, after he served a one-year suspension for playing a role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. Cora was the manager of the Red Sox in 2018, when they won the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Under Cora once again, Boston went 92-70 in 2021. That record was good enough for second place in the AL East, and the fourth seed in the MLB playoffs. They beat their bitter rivals, the New York Yankees, in the Wild Card Game, then another AL East, the Rays, team in the Divisional Series. The Red Sox eventually fell to the Astros in six games in the Championship Series.
Boston still has a formidable team and a manager with a winning pedigree in the postseason. They will surely be in the hunt for a World Series berth in 2022. Here is the projected pitching rotation that could help the Boston Red Sox get there.
1. Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi is a 10-year veteran that has played for five teams, being acquired by the Red Sox in 2018. Last year, he was an All Star, received fourth place in Cy Young voting and 15th place in MVP voting.
He had a 3.75 ERA in 182 innings pitched and 32 starts last season. His big season last year means he would probably be the Opening Day starter even if the expensive veteran Chris Sale was healthy.
2. Nick Pivetta
Pivetta went 9-8 with an ERA of 4.53 in 2021. Given the Red Sox’s current starting-level pitching talent, he is the best choice for second spot in the lineup. He got a lot of work last year, pitching 155 innings, and striking out 175 batters.
3. Tanner Houck
Houck will be the youngest player in the starting rotation, so putting an inexperienced player right in the middle makes sense. He received just 69 innings of work last year, putting up a 3.52 ERA and 87 strikeouts over that span. If the Red Sox add him to the starting rotation full time this year, the rewards of having a player that other teams have little tape on would be maximized in the middle.
4. Michael Wacha
The long-time Cardinal spent his first season with the Red Sox last season. He started 23 games, but had a win-loss total of just 3-5. In 124 innings pitched, he had a 5.05 ERA and struck out 121 opposing players. His previous team, the Mets, gave him little work over a COVID-shortened season. Boston can continue using him right, but may need to stick him near the bottom of the order.
5. Rich Hill
42-year-old Rich Hill has been in the MLB since making his debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2005. The 17-year veteran is perfect for rounding out the rotation, as he can still give a team quality innings and pretty even numbers.
This will be Hill’s first season with this iteration of the Red Sox, and will be his 13th time moving teams. In 2021, Hill had a total ERA of 3.86 over 158-plus innings. Rolling out a veteran is great, but he may be moved once Chris Sale returns from injury.
Stay tuned for more breaking MLB content, including projected 2022 MLB opening day pitching rotations for every team.
Featured image courtesy of Harry How/Getty Images
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