Boston Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi revealed that he would be willing to negotiate a contract extension in the midst of 2022 MLB season action.
Prior to his Opening Day start against the New York Yankees, the 32-year-old right-hander said the Red Sox showed no intention of finalizing a new deal during the offseason, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.
Let’s not forget that the current number one starter in the team led by Alex Cora got a four-year, $68 million contract after the team won the 2018 World Series. In other words, the veteran is currently in the final year of the deal that has kept him as one of the faces of the team in the pitching department, along with ace Chris Sale, who began the 2022 season on the 60-day injured list.
Because of his age, it will be tough for the American to secure a long-term contract, but it is possible that he may sign a deal comparable to Marcus Stroman’s two-year $25 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Much will depend on Eovaldi’s performance as one of the leaders of the rotation of a Boston team that is once again a candidate to win the American League West Division pennant.
Yankees stunned Red Sox on Opening Day
The New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox in the Opening Day game by a score of 6 runs to 5, in a game that had to be decided in extra innings.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Josh Donaldson became the hero of the game when he hit the game-winner for the Bronx.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched for 5 innings, where he allowed 3 clean runs and 5 hits. In addition, he closed his performance with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk.