Boston Red Sox pitcher Collin McHugh is the last player to choose not to participate in the 2020 MLB season.
Manager Ron Roenicke briefed the media on McHugh’s decision Sunday, noting that the right-hander’s arm has not turned as expected. McHugh, 32, suffered an elbow injury last year and underwent a procedure in December in hopes that it will help him get better.
Ultimately, McHugh was not satisfied with his progress and decided to spend the 2020 season spending time with his family instead of being on the disabled list.
Collin McHugh has chosen not to participate. According to Ron Roenicke, McHugh would probably spend time in IL anyway, his arm was not recovering from his elbow injury, and that was the case, McHugh felt it was better to be with his family.
– Chad Jennings (@ chadjennings22) July 19, 2020
Get the latest news and analysis on all your NBC Sports Boston teams by downloading the My Teams app
The Red Sox signed McHugh in March in a bid to bolster a remarkably slim pitching staff. Currently, the initial rotation consists of Eduardo Rodríguez, Nathan Eovaldi, Martín Pérez, and then a couple of question marks in fourth and fifth place.
Boston will begin its season on July 24 against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park, and I’ll be Eovaldi on the Red Sox mound. The first launch is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET.
Eduardo Rodríguez’s experience with COVID-19 is an important reminder that the virus can affect even the healthiest people.
The Boston Red Sox left-hander was able to meet up with his teammates on Saturday after testing positive for the coronavirus on July 7. On Sunday, E-Rod spoke to the media about his experience with COVID-19 and made it clear that it is nothing to take lightly.
“For me, I felt all the symptoms,” Rodríguez said. “All the symptoms you can see on Google like headaches, fever, all of that. It hit me really hard.”
He asked Eduardo Rodríguez about suffering with COVID. He said it is unlike any illness he has ever been through. #Red Stockings
⚡️ by @betonline_ag
🎥: pic.twitter.com/nL6kwwbVeC
– Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 19, 2020
Get the latest news and analysis on all your NBC Sports Boston teams by downloading the My Teams app
Rodríguez revealed that his wife was also sick with the virus and said that the symptoms made her feel that she was “100 years old.”
Now that he is healthy, E-Rod is ready to resume exercise with his Red Sox teammates. However, the 27-year-old won’t start on opening day as originally planned. Instead, it will be okay for Nathan Eovaldi to take the mound off the Baltimore Orioles.
The inaugural Red Sox event at Fenway Park will take place on Friday at 7:30 pm ET.
Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound for the Boston Red Sox when they host the Baltimore Orioles on opening day.
The Red Sox officially announced Eovaldi as the starter on Saturday, making him the sixth-different starting opener on Boston Opening Day in the past seven years.
Others? Jon Lester (2014), Clay Buchholz (2015), David Price (2016), Rick Porcello (2017) and Chris Sale (2018-19).
‼ ️ Nasty Nate is opening 2020‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/9DwjwC4O8r
– Red Sox (@RedSox) July 18, 2020
Get the latest news and analysis on all your NBC Sports Boston teams by downloading the My Teams app
The original plan was for Eduardo Rodríguez to start opening day, but the left-hander will start the season on the 10-day disabled list after recovering from the coronavirus. E-Rod did announce some good news on Saturday, though he tweeted that he is “back.”
The O’s plan to have left-hander John Means as their Opening Day opener vs. Boston. The game is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 pm ET.
