Eduardo Rodriguez. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Eduardo Rodriguez got off to a blistering start to the season with an 11-3 record and 3.44 ERA thru 19 starts, but the southpaw's been out with a sprained right ankle for a month.
There was significant ligament damage and fears he'd miss the rest of the year, but Rodriguez is on track to return after yesterday's 47-pitch bullpen session.
"I was throwing all my pitches, it feels great, all the innings I threw over there," Rodriguez said.
He says the plan is for a minor league game Monday. That'll come with Double-A Portland. Rodriguez is anxious to get back to Boston's rotation.
"Seeing the guys just hit the ball, pitching like they're doing right now and everything, it's kinda hard to be just sitting on the side and watching them play," he said. "So I just wanna go back and be part of the team."
Rodriguez hasn't allowed a run his last 17 innings. Sox will start a seven-game homestand tomorrow with the Rays, and Ian Kinsler's expected to be penciled in at second. He's only appeared in three games for Boston, but landed on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain.
"You know, you just wait it out, there's not much you can do," Kinsler said. "With a muscle injury, you try to strengthen it, you try to make sure everything around it is strong, and you just take all the steps, and wait for the muscle to heal, and get back out there when you're ready."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports