Eduardo Rodriguez felt the effects of COVID-19 first-hand, missing the entirety of the 2020 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart linked to the coronavirus.
An offseason later, Rodriguez is ready to take his spot at the top of the Boston Red Sox rotation, feeling like he normally does heading into a typical spring training, even during the most atypical of times.
"At the beginning of COVID, I just wanted a chance to get past through that," Rodriguez said on Friday. "Thank God I have a chance to survive that part and be available to get back to baseball and get cleared.