Red Sox pitching coach Carl Willis indicated Monday starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was tipping his pitches while throwing out of the stretch during his last start Thursday against the Orioles.
"It was borderline obvious," Willis said, per The Providence Journal. "He'd been so good out of the windup. Going back and looking at the pitches he executed from the stretch, they were still quality pitches. It's safe to say that there's a good likelihood that could have had something to do with it."
Rodriguez was perfect through three innings Thursday before his outing fell apart in the fourth inning. He was pulled after allowing six runs in 3 2/3 innings.
"All pitchers, when they come here, they're establishing history," Willis said. "There's video. Guys are facing them. He's faced Baltimore twice now. This will be the second time he's faced Toronto. There's nothing like hitters seeing it -- and seeing where they can pick up the ball.
"More than anything, it's a matter of pitchers being consistent within their deliveries. More so than not, starters have a consistent delivery where everything looks the same. That's what you gear yourself towards."