Eovaldi will have his scheduled start Friday against the Indians skipped and serve in a bullpen role through the All-Star break, Brendan Kuty of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Though the move seems to suggest Eovaldi's rotation spot is being put on notice, manager Joe Girardi acknowledged that it was just a temporary arrangement, and that Eovaldi is still being viewed in the organization as a starter long term. Even if that's true, he still doesn't make for an appealing fantasy option at present, as he's surrendered at least four earned runs in each of his last six starts, while failing to go more than six innings in any of those contests. Outside of deeper leagues, it's unlikely many fantasy owners would have wanted to keep him active anyway for a matchup with the red-hot Indians lineup, but Eovaldi should have a better chance at delivering strong ratios during his run in the bullpen this week thanks to his premium fastball, a pitch that will likely play up in relief.