March 11 Notes: Eduardo Rodriguez’s Second Spring Start; Bogaerts and Cordero Get At-Bats

The Boston Red Sox were in action yet again on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. Eduardo Rodriguez made his second start of the spring and hit the fourth inning threshold, which is encouraging because he is definitely making progress towards being in the rotation to start the season. He would start Opening Day if he pitched every fifth day from now on.

“E-Rod” went four innings, giving up just one earned run on a solo home run by outfielder Alex Kirilloff in the bottom of the second inning. He allowed three other hits and struck out six batters including Jorge Polanco, Nelson Cruz, and Mitch Garver.

Rodriguez was a reliable starter before he missed the 2020 season due to heart troubles with COVID, so if he can stay healthy and give the Red Sox a chance to win every fifth day then manager Alex Cora will be happy.

Speaking of Cora, he talked to the media before the game on Thursday, so here are some notable things he said.

• A day after Michael Chavis expressed some doubt about making the team, his manager sort of made it more difficult for him to make the roster. According to MassLive’s Christopher Smith, Cora said that Chavis playing the outfield is “off the table” and he wants him to “concentrate in the infield and concentrate on his swing”. With Chavis being only an infielder, it makes him less valuable to the team especially when guys like Marwin Gonzalez and Kike Hernandez can play both the infield and the outfield.
• Speaking of Hernandez, it looks like he will be the Red Sox lead off hitter come Opening Day. The former Dodger hit leadoff yet again on Thursday and has done so in every game he has played so far. He entered the day 5-for-10 with a homer and three doubles.’
• Franchy Cordero got some at-bats in a sim-game at Jet Blue Park in the morning and doubled off of the mini Green Monster. Cordero was acquired from Kansas City in the Andrew Benintendi trade and figures to be playing left field when he is on the field with Alex Verdugo and Hunter Renfroe getting the reps in center and right.
• Xander Bogaerts hasn’t yet appeared in a Grapefruit League game this spring but he took some at-bats along with Cordero and Danny Santana. Cora mentioned that there will be “plenty of at-bats” for those three to catch up.

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