Birthday boy Rodriguez set to make season debut after recovering from dead arm

BOSTON — If Eduardo Rodriguez had his way, he would have been on the moundWednesday. Opening Day was offthe table once he wasplaced onthe injured list to start the season to give him time to recover fromaboutof dead arm that hit him at the end of spring training.

But he had his eyes on April 7, because it was his 28th birthday and returning to the mound seemed like a reasonable way to celebrate.

“After they told me that you’re not going to throw on Day 1, I just said, ‘Bro, let me goonthe7th, let megoonthe 7 th. I want togo on that day, I want to go on that day.’ “

The Sox had a plan mapped out for Rodriguez, and Thursday was the earliest he could return after putting him on the IL retroactive to March29. Thetimeline didn’t matchhisbirthday wishes, but it lined up close enough.

Rodriguez will make his regular-season debut Thursday on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. To make room for Rodriguez on the active roster, the Red Sox optioned Tanner Houck to the alternate training site.

“The way we planned it, it’s going to be tomorrow,” Rodriguez said. “So at least it’s one day after and not like 20 days after.”

Devers shakes off cold start: Rafael Devers’s tying single in the 11th inning Tuesday night was a positive sign to Cora not just because it helped the Sox pull off a come-from-behind win, but because it was a step in the right direction after a rough start for the third baseman.

Devers was hitless (0 for 11) over his first three games before going 2 for 5 on Tuesday.

“He hit the ball hard three times, so that’s good,” Cora said. “You can tell he’s getting there. Obviously, it didn’t start well, but he got a good pitch to hit. I think the lefty-lefty base hit told me more about where he’s at. To be able to track the ball and shoot it the other way, that’s a good sign.”

Outfield shuffle: Center fielder Alex Verdugo got the day off Wednesday. Kiké Hernández took his place in center. J.D. Martinez got his first start of the season in left field.

Cora said he will likely sit X an der Bo ga er ts Thursday in Baltimore. Bogaerts madehis sixth straight start at shortstop on Wednesday. The Sox have an offday Friday, which will give Bogaerts an extra day to rest. It will be the only one they get until May 3.