On Monday night the Boston Red Sox unveiled the official documentary of their 2018 World Series run. It is titled, “The 2018 World Series: Damage Done,” and details Boston’s dominating run through October.

One of the highlights of the video was the coverage of a loss. The Red Sox were beaten in 18 innings in Game 3, their only loss of the Fall Classic. That game might best be remembered by the six remarkable innings thrown by Nathan Eovaldi, the starter thrown into a relief role by necessity. It was an amazing performance. It was the longest relief outing in the World Series in more than 40 years. His 97 pitches were the most in relief in Series history.

Eovaldi’s performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the Red Sox, who needed to rest their bullpen to fight another day. It was also timely for Eovaldi. He’s now a free agent, and that effort on the game’s biggest stage made him a hot commodity.

Reports have 10 or more teams interested in signing the right-hander.The Sox are obviously one of them. There’s no doubt he won them over after joining the team at the trade deadline, proving he can handle any pressure that comes along with playing in Boston.

He also represents an important spot on the pitching staff as Dave Dombrowski, Boston’s president of baseball operations, tries to extend the window of opportunity for a franchise coming off its fourth championship in 15 seasons.

The Sox should have a strong rotation again in 2019. Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello are a Big Three that can stack up against anyone. Eduardo Rodriguez is only 25 and is coming off a career-high, 13-win season. Steven Wright, Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez should provide starting depth.

That could all change by 2020. Sale and Porcello are free agents after the coming season, meaning the Sox could be in serious need of a rebuild. Locking up Eovaldi now would make them one of the best rotations in baseball in 2019, and help cushion the blow of potential losses beyond that.

There’s no doubt Eovaldi is in line for a big payday. Early reports have a contract in the three-to-four year range at $16-$18 million a year. That’s a reasonable price to pay a hard-throwing right hander who has proven his worth in big markets like Boston and New York (in case you forgot, he’s a former Yankee).

That said, the Red Sox would have to take pause if the bidding war pushes the price much higher than that. As good as he has been, Eovaldi is a pitcher who shouldered a massive workload in the fall and has had two Tommy John surgeries. The potential for a breakdown in the future is very real.

That can be said for just about any pitcher. Which is why a reasonable three-to-four year deal with Eovaldi would make a lot of sense for the Red Sox. Bringing him back would allow the depth pitchers on the staff to move into the bullpen, meaning Dombrowski would not have to overspend to find relief help.

Eovaldi himself could be part of that help. Assuming the Sox are a playoff team again next season, Alex Cora can use him as a “rover” once again, part of the starting rotation that can pitch out of the bullpen between starts as needed.

The Astros are reportedly making a strong push for Eovaldi, an alumni of Alvin High School in Texas. At best, he’s the second-most famous pitcher from that city just outside of Houston. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan gets top billing. And you can assume Ryan, now a special advisor to Astros owner Jim Crane, will be part of the sales pitch presented to Eovaldi.

Can the Sox pry him away from his hometown team’s advances? We’ll find out soon enough. One thing we know for sure: Eovaldi made himself a lot of money with his performance in Game 3 of the World Series. And he’ll have plenty of options to mull over before deciding where that money will be coming from.

Tom Caron is a studio host for the Red Sox broadcast on NESN. His column appears in the Portland Press Herald on Tuesdays.

Copy the Story Link