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Yankees’ reported backup plan if Carlos Rodón falls through will crush Red Sox

BOSTON, MA - JULY 22: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound during the third inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 22: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound during the third inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

New York Yankees fans didn’t like hearing that there was a “sizable gap” between them and Carlos Rodón when they presented their offer this week. But the alternative? It’s not Rodón-esque, but it’d kick the Boston Red Sox while they’re down.

At this point, Rodón to the Yankees feels like fate. It’s just a matter of the two sides bridging the gap. (Yeah, that’s what we’ll tell ourselves, alright?) But Scott Boras is his agent, so you never really know what’s going to happen. He gets other teams involved, he gets the press involved. He’s a madman.

If he goes full Joker and gets his client to sign with, say, the Twins, and the Yankees have to pivot, would you be that upset if they went after Nathan Eovaldi?

It’s probably a split answer among the fans. On the one hand, you just have that feeling Eovaldi will not be productive as a Yankee. He was already here and came far from maximizing his potential. Then he went to the Rays, kicked New York’s butt. Then went to the Red Sox, and ruined New York’s life.

On the other hand … watching the Red Sox lose another top free agent that was integral to their general core and 2018 World Series run would be … *chef’s kiss*

The Yankees targeting Nathan Eovaldi can’t have Red Sox fans feeling good

If we want to talk ourselves into the positives … here we go! Eovaldi led the AL in FIP (2.79) in 2021. He was an All-Star for the first time and finished fourth in the Cy Young voting. Additionally, he’s had his best run of form the last five years in Boston (26-18, 4.05 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 1.27 WHIP and 468 strikeouts in 96 games, totaling 461.2 innings).

Most of his peripheral statistics took a step back in 2022, which was plagued by injuries, but the key points still stand: he barely walks batters, he gets hitters to chase, and his fastball velocity remains among the best in the game.

The flip side? He’s not a lefty, he’s entering his age-33 season, he dealt with back and shoulder injuries in 2022, and, most importantly, he’s not Carlos Rodón.

Nonetheless, the “interest” makes sense. Eovaldi and Michael Wacha are the next best available free agent starters behind Rodón. The Yankees would rather not take to the trade market, because the pool is even thinner there, in addition to the prices being astronomical.

Knowing the right-hander would be behind Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino isn’t a bad feeling, though. And if there’s one final move that’ll get Red Sox nation to lose their gourd, we’re all for it.

Any further emotional damage is worth exponentially more than whatever Eovaldi may or may not accomplish in pinstripes.

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