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Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound
instead when Boston opens the season Thursday at Fenway Park
against the Baltimore Orioles.
Rodriguez missed the 2020 season after being diagnosed with
myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart linked to COVID-19.
Rodriguez, who turns 28 next month, struggled Monday during his
fourth start of spring training, allowing two runs, three hits
and two walks in two innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
"I think it's just dead arm," Cora said. "He didn't feel as
strong as the previous outings arm-wise. Shoulder, arm, there's
nothing specific there. ... He pushed hard for Thursday, but I
think the smart thing from my end and from our end is to play it
smart."
Cora said Rodriguez still could avoid a trip to the injured list
and make his regular turn in the rotation.
"It sucks for him because going into '20 he was supposed to be
the Opening Day starter," Cora said. "Going into '21, we
announced it and now he's not. But I told him yesterday, I said,
'Hey, man. The way you throw the ball, the way your career is
going, at one point in your career you will be an Opening Day
starter. Maybe more than once.' So he took it as a professional.
"With him, I think the communication is very clear. It's very
genuine. And for him to accept it and think about the future and
not the first game of the season, it is a testament to who he is
right now as a pitcher, as a person, as a leader in this team."
Rodriguez finished sixth in the American League Cy Young Award
voting in 2019 after going 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 213
strikeouts in 34 starts.
Eovaldi, 31, was 4-2 with a 3.72 ERA in nine starts last season,
striking out 52 batters and walking only seven in 48 1/3 innings
of work.
--Field Level Media
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