When the Boston Red Sox traded for Allen Craig and Joe Kelly last season, they didn't expect the transaction to be this big of a disaster. Allen has already been demoted to the minors and while Kelly continues to struggle in the starting rotation, the club has promoted their top pitching prospect.
Eduardo Rodriguez will make his MLB debut on Thursday night against the Texas Rangers, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. The left-hander is 4-3 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.097 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in eight starts (48 1/3 innings) at Triple-A Pawtucket. Boston's rotation has been struggling mightily for quite some time (although it has improved lately under new pitching coach Carl Willis) and the promotion of Rodriguez was slipped in among the rest of the rumors leading up to this point.
"One talent evaluator recently expressed surprise that the Sox had yet to promote Rodriguez, noting with disbelief that a team with what he described as the worst rotation in the American League was leaving the pitcher whom he viewed as the best starting prospect in the International League in Triple A," writes Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
Manager John Farrell said the club is going to use a six-man rotation for one turn and then likely send Rodriguez back to Triple-A, but one can't help but think Kelly's spot in the rotation has a chance of being threatened if Rodriguez impresses while he's on the 25-man roster. Kelly is 1-4 with a 6.24 ERA and 1.449 WHIP in nine starts so far and has only three quality starts on the year. It's been mentioned the right-hander could be used out of the bullpen.
"There's no decision here in this moment," Farrell told Ian Browne of MLB.com following Kelly's horrendous start on Monday. "He's shown us the ability to go out and work deep in a ballgame. There's no denying the stuff. It's a matter of consistent location with his fastball. When he's in those games where the runs have come about, it's typically been mislocated fastballs that found their way to the plate."
Throughout his four-year career, Kelly has made 30 appearances out of the bullpen (all with the St. Louis Cardinals) and he owns a 2-3 record with a 3.25 ERA and 1.348 WHIP in those games, compared to his 20-17 record with a 3.87 ERA and 1.378 WHIP in 57 games as a starter. Such a move could be an option in the near future.
"I'm sure they're thinking about sending Kelly to the bullpen at this point, but I just don't think they'll do it just yet," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "Matt Barnes might be the logical fill-in, but John Farrell said they weren't trying to stretch him out when he pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief of Kelly on Monday. Eduardo Rodriguez seems the logical call-up ... Kelly, with his high velocity, is intriguing out of the pen."
Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reported Kelly could be replaced by Rodriguez on the same day Farrell said there's no decision on moving Kelly. Farrell's plans may change, especially if Rodriguez has a good outing tonight against Texas.
"Then maybe we'll really, really reconsider," Farrell said in regards to keeping Rodriguez on the 25-man roster.
We already saw the Red Sox place Justin Masterson on the disabled list due to "general fatigue" amidst his awful start to the season, for which the right-hander "was not happy." It wouldn't be surprising if the team shifted Kelly into a different role if he continues to struggle and if Rodriguez provides a more reliable option in the starting rotation.
