MINNEAPOLIS — It was happy time in the Red Sox clubhouse following a 15-4 win over the Minnesota Twins, who tied with the Braves for the worst record in baseball.

The Red Sox’ offense was absolutely stunning. The bullpen did a good job. But we know the dirty little secret about the team: They have trouble with their starting rotation.

Nothing says they can’t get by with this for a while. They can hang around the top of the AL East because, after all, Baltimore has the same problem and, to some degree, Toronto does as well. So when the Sox play the Atlantas and Minnesotas of the league, having a starter not being able to get out of the fifth inning is OK. How long it will be OK for remains to be seen. If they’re scoring this many runs, it’ll be OK for a while.

Of course, they’re not going to always face a team that just used its 22d pitcher, or one that allows 23 runs over two games.

This shouldn’t have been too tough for Eduardo Rodriguez, but it was.

Rodriguez couldn’t make it out of the fifth Saturday. He gave up six hits and four walks and allowed four runs in 4? innings.

“I thought he used his secondary pitches a little bit more than his last time out,’’ Sox manager John Farrell said. “He was behind on the count, but he fought back. The four walks are uncharacteristic. He’s capable of much better. His stuff is ticking upward. He threw some good changeups, but the one he threw to [Kurt] Suzuki over the middle of the plate [for a homer] produced three runs. We’ve got some work to do with Eddie.

“The inconsistent command of the strike zone today reared its head.’’

After David Price and Steven Wright, there’s nothing but question marks in the Sox’ rotation. Rick Porcello offers mediocrity at present. His first seven starts were very good, but he has seen a steady rise in his ERA, which is now 4.04. At some point this has to be addressed.

Rodriguez’s return to the rotation has been less than stellar. In three starts, two haven’t been good.

Farrell wanted him to throw more offspeed stuff in this game, feeling he had become way too fastball happy. While he mixed in a few more, he still doesn’t seem to have faith in his curveball, slider, and changeup. He’s still trying to blow his fastball past hitters and they’re looking for it.

“It seems like he’s trying to get back in pitching shape at this level. You can’t replicate this setting,’’ Farrell said. “He had innings under his belt, but he’s still working toward refining it all.’’

E-Rod was pitching with a brace and maybe still mentally not trusting himself as he tries to get beyond the right knee injury that kept him inactive for so long. Rodriguez is not the same pitcher he was when he came up last season and bedazzled everyone with his nasty stuff and full repertoire of pitches.

He did hit 96 miles per hour Saturday, so there was an uptick in velocity, which surprised Rodriguez because he didn’t think he was throwing that hard in his pregame bullpen session. His average velocity on his four–seam fastball was 94.5. He did throw 15 changeups and 11 sliders, so he did follow orders.

“I thought everything working much better. My cutter, my changeup, my curveball, my two-seamer,’’ Rodriguez said. “I felt my velocity was coming back I have to work more on my command with my fastball,’’ Rodriguez said.

“Every start I’m doing better and fixing everything in my next start,’’ Rodriguez said.

Most of the Sox higher-ups felt Rodriguez could be that solid No. 2 over time, but that time has apparently not come yet. He’s still a guy you have questions about. He’s still a guy that makes you wonder whether he’s as good as we all built him up to be.

Maybe we’re being too impatient when we think he can come back from a knee injury and suddenly be himself again. Maybe he needs more time to get there. If that’s the case he should probably go back to Pawtucket and make those changes, much as Joe Kelly has had to do.

The problem is if not E-Rod, than who?

There’s been so much praise of lefty Roenis Elias lately, that perhaps it’s his turn to see if he can give the Red Sox some stability. Maybe it’s time for Clay Buchholz to return to the rotation and see if he’s able to right himself after a few outings in the bullpen.

It might be time for Dave Dombrowski to be looking at trade options, such as Atlanta’s Julio Teheran or Oakland’s Sonny Gray. Dombrowski may have to give up more than he wants to, but if the Red Sox want to get to the playoffs, trading prospects is likely the way he must proceed because it just doesn’t appear that after Price and Wright they can depend on anyone else.

Maybe they should just wait for the situation to get better naturally, through good coaching and managing.

As we’ve written before, this isn’t an easy problem to solve.

Farrell said the other day that one of the most pressing needs is to solidify the No. 5 spot, but it really goes beyond that. Elias is gaining steam as a possible fifth starter June 18 vs. Seattle, but the Red Sox would have to ignore Buchholz to allow that to happen.

Even before No. 5, the Red Sox have to straighten Rodriguez out at No. 4.

He needed to show us more against one of baseball’s worst teams. When the offense puts up 15, you put up one more “W’’ and erase one more day off the schedule.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickcafardo.