Red Sox Rookie Pitcher Mows Down Yankees In Dazzling MLB Debut originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox lost again on Wednesday, falling 4-1 to the New York Yankees at Fenway Park as their bats remained freezing cold.
The Red Sox did have a major bright spot on the mound, however, as pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera made his Major League debut.
The tall, 22-year-old lefty entered the game with two outs in the top of the sixth. He struck out the first batter he faced, Jazz Chisholm, to end the inning.
Rivera proceeded to finish the game, yielding just one hit -- a single. He didn't walk anyone, notched three strikeouts and showed good control, throwing 26 of his 41 pitches for strikes -- eight of which were swinging strikes.
Eduardo Rivera absolutely shoved in his big league debut.3.1 IP - 41 Pitches/26 Strikes1 Hit0 ER/R3 K0 BB8 WhiffsAveraged 17 inches of IVB on his 4SFB. Never pitched above from AA. Didn’t matter one bit. pic.twitter.com/dmpkEdVLaO
It was a remarkable first impression for Rivera, who had never pitched above Double-A before. That didn't stop him from stifling the Yankees' potent lineup. But unfortunately for Boston, his performance came too late to save the game.
After his strong debut, Rivera will likely remain in the bullpen as a long reliever for the time being. The Red Sox need pitching depth given their recent injuries, and it looks like Rivera might be able to provide some.
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