Nathan Eovaldi contract situation one to watch: 'I love being here' - NBC Sports Boston

adanyabegini.blogspot.com

Of all the Red Sox in contract years, here's one we don't spend a lot of time on -- Nathan Eovaldi.

That might be because he's not as tenured as Xander Bogaerts or as accomplished as slugging DH J.D. Martinez. And yet a case can be made that Eovaldi is the most important of the group moving forward.

With Chris Sale once again succumbing to injury and Eduardo Rodriguez off to Detroit in free agency, the Red Sox are suddenly very thin on top-end starters. And yet here's Eovaldi, maligned for the first two years of his modest four-year, $64 million extension, coming off an All-Star season and already announced as the Opening Day starter by manager Alex Cora.

While durability has never been the 32-year-old's strong suit, he is coming off a season that saw him make a league-leading 32 starts and throw 182.1 innings en route to a fourth-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting.

And not for nothing, he'd like to stay.

Tomase: Making sense of Trevor Story rumors, plus other spring training thoughts

"I'm leaving that up with my agency," Eovaldi said. "I think they know where I stand. They know how much I love being here and being a part of that organization. When they came over and got me in '18, I felt like I was part of the family immediately. I love being here, but I think as long as I go out there and do my job, it makes it easier for them to decide what they want to do."

Eovaldi made his Grapefruit League debut on Friday, throwing three innings of two-run ball vs. the Rays, striking out three and walking none while throwing 42 pitches. He threw all five of his pitches and said he was focused mainly on his slider.

"The slider and cutter were a little inconsistent," Eovaldi said, "but everything else felt really good."

I think they know where I stand. They know how much I love being here and being a part of that organization. When they came over and got me in '18, I felt like I was part of the family immediately. I love being here, but I think as long as I go out there and do my job, it makes it easier for them to decide what they want to do."

Eovaldi on his Red Sox future

What will feel even better is taking the ball in New York on April 7 when the season officially opens a little more than a week late because of the lockout. Eovaldi does not take the honor for granted.

"It's everything," he said. "You're putting your best out there, you've got to set the tone for the team, and that's what I want to go out there and do opening up against the Yankees -- big-time opponent in the division, and you want to be able to set the tone for the guys and go out there and have a good outing."

Consider it step one in Eovaldi playing a pivotal role for the 2022 Red Sox. And if he gets his way, maybe he'll be here a lot longer.

Adblock test (Why?)

"here" - Google News
March 19, 2022 at 05:11AM
https://ift.tt/b6ZTlwo

Nathan Eovaldi contract situation one to watch: 'I love being here' - NBC Sports Boston
"here" - Google News
https://ift.tt/gAzYkSj
https://ift.tt/qfHTxvJ