Nathan Eovaldi received word as the Red Sox landed in New York early Sunday: Forget about pitching Game 4 of the ALDS and get ready for Game 3.
With Rick Porcello removed from the equation after pitching in relief in Game 1, manager Alex Cora on Monday will turn to the veteran right-hander Eovaldi, who has allowed only one run in 16 innings against the Yankees since arriving from the Rays in July.
“It definitely gives me confidence, just knowing I’ve had recent success against them,” Eovaldi said Sunday at Yankee Stadium. “I’m trying to do the same thing that I have been doing — stay aggressive and try to get that first-pitch strike out of the way.”
Porcello, who pitched two-thirds of an inning Friday, is Boston’s scheduled starter for Game 4. The Red Sox are also expected to have David Price available from the bullpen as soon as Monday night, following the lefty’s abbreviated Game 2 start, in which he surrendered three runs over 1 ²/₃ innings.
Eovaldi, who pitched for the Yankees in 2015-16, split this season between the Rays and Red Sox, finishing 6-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 22 appearances.
What can the Red Sox expect from him Monday?
“Seven innings, two hits, one run,” Cora said. “He’s had good success against them. Seems like it’s a good matchup. Obviously, in the playoffs, game-planning is part of it and I know they’re going to be ready, but we will, too. We trust his stuff.”
In addition to 98 mph heat, Eovaldi features a sharp cutter, a pitch he used 32 percent of the time this season, according to Fangraphs.
“I think his cutter this year has probably been the main reason,” Aaron Hicks said, when asked about Eovaldi’s improvement since his days in The Bronx. “When he was here he didn’t have that cutter. He was more of a fastball/splitter guy.”
Eovaldi, who has never appeared in the postseason, wasn’t so sure he would be receiving this opportunity as his year with Tampa Bay progressed. But his July 25 trade to Boston for lefty reliever Jalen Beeks changed that outlook.
“I felt we had good things going over there [in Tampa Bay], but with the Red Sox in the division, they were running away with it,” Eovaldi said. “Then to get traded over here, I’m super excited to be in this situation.”
In his last start at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 18, Eovaldi allowed only two hits over six shutout innings. He also pitched eight shutout innings against the Yankees on Aug. 4 at Fenway Park.
“We trust his stuff,” Cora said. “He can even get away with mistakes, you know what I mean? Like when you throw 100 and you place it in the right spot, even if they take a good swing you get missed hits. That’s a key.”
