Before opening a three-game series against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Tuesday, the Red Sox placed right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. They also placed first baseman Eric Hosmer on the 10-day injured list due to low back inflammation.
In a pair of corresponding moves, right-hander Josh Winckowski and first baseman Franchy Cordero were recalled from Triple-A Worcester, the club announced.
Eovaldi, who last pitched against the Yankees on August 12, has been scratched from his last two starts due to right trapezius muscle soreness. The 32-year-old hurler had been optimistic that he could avoid the injured list, but that is no longer the case.
This will be Eovaldi’s second stint on the injured list this season, as the righty was previously sidelined from June 12-July 10 with low back inflammation. When healthy, Eovaldi has posted a 4.15 ERA and 4.50 FIP with 96 strikeouts to 18 walks over 18 starts spanning 99 2/3 innings of work. That includes a 2.95 ERA in the month of August.
Hosmer, meanwhile, left Saturday’s game against the Orioles in the fifth inning due to a back issue and did not play in Sunday’s Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa. Since being acquired from the Padres on Aug. 2, the left-handed hitting 32-year-old has batted .225/.311/.300 with three doubles, four RBIs, six runs, four walks, and nine strikeouts in 12 games (45 plate appearances) with the Red Sox.
Eovaldi’s stint on the injured list was backdated to Aug. 19, so he will be eligible to return on Saturday, September 3, at the earliest. Hosmer’s stint on the injured list was backdated to Aug. 21, so he will be eligible to return to action one week from Wednesday at the earliest.
Winckowski will start in place of Eovaldi for Tuesday’s series opener against Toronto. The 24-year-old hurler was most-recently optioned to Worcester last Friday, but was eligible to be recalled within 15 days as long as he was replacing an injured player.
Since making his big-league debut on May 28, Winckowski has posted a 5.19 ERA and 5.21 FIP with 36 strikeouts to 21 walks over 12 starts (60 2/3 innings) for Boston. He had compiled a solid 3.71 ERA across a six-start stretch from June 15-July 13, but has struggled to a 6.46 ERA (6.71 FIP) since returning from a bout with COVID-19 on July 26.
Cordero, on the other hand, served as the Red Sox’ 27th man in Williamsport on Sunday and hit a game-tying, pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning. The 27-year-old was technically optioned back to Worcester after the game, but his latest stint with the WooSox proved to be short-lived.
Including Sunday’s performance, Cordero is now slashing .222/.300/.380 to go along with 17 doubles, one triple, five homers, 25 RBIs, 32 runs scored, four stolen bases, 24 walks, and 78 strikeouts over 73 games (245 plate appearances) with the Red Sox this season. He will be batting eighth and starting at first base for Boston on Tuesday.
(Picture of Nathan Eovaldi: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
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