Garrett Whitlock to undergo MRI on right elbow, felt stiffness during last start
The Red Sox starting rotation took another hit Sunday afternoon after Garrett Whitlock was removed from the game following just one inning.
Whitlock left the game after experiencing right elbow stiffness. The 27-year-old righty will undergo an MRI on Monday to get an idea of the severity of his elbow injury.
Whitlock told reporters that he has been “dealing with” his elbow being stiff before the start, and that it began again in the first inning. He wouldn’t indicate his level of concern regarding his latest right arm issue.
“Right now we’re just going to wait to see when we get to Boston, see what the doctors have to say about it,” Whitlock said to reporters.
This would be his third stint on the injured list this season. His last came when he missed 27 games for right ulnar neuritis. “This doesn’t feel very nervy,” Whitlock said. “So it’s not really like that.”
Alex Cora made the immediate decision to remove Whitlock from the game after he saw him moving his wrist and elbow.
“He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow,” Cora said. “Kind of like the same feelings as before. So hopefully, it’s nothing bad.”
The Sox right-hander was looking to bounce back from his last outing against the Marlins where he allowed 11 hits and six earned runs over 4 2/3 innings.
Whitlock retired the first two Blue Jays batters, including getting Bo Bichette to strike out, before surrendering a solo homer to Brandon Belt. He then forced Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to line out on his 18th pitch of the first inning.
The rotation is starting to thin out after injuries to Chris Sale (left shoulder inflammation) and Tanner Houck (facial fracture). Corey Kluber has struggled all season and was demoted to the bullpen, he has since landed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. There is no timetable on when he is expected to return.
Sale was cleared to begin throwing for the first time since he landed on the injured list on June 2 with a stress reaction in his left scapula bone (shoulder blade). He threw from 60 feet at about 60-70% in the outfield at Fenway Park.
“I know it’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s big for me personally just because it’s baseball stuff,” Sale said. “I’m a baseball player and showing up to a baseball field to not do anything baseball related … it’s not fun. It takes its toll on you. To be able to show up and actually feel like I’m doing something to better myself — to hopefully sooner rather than later — help this team is good. Throwing is better than not throwing, that’s for damn sure.”
James Paxton will miss a few games during the current home stand due to the birth of his second child. Cora will have to juggle around his rotation to figure out who’ll make these final starts before the All-Star break.
The only starter announced was Brayan Bello, he will pitch on Wednesday against the Rangers from Fenway Park.
Nick Pivetta is the obvious choice to come out of the bullpen and secure a spot in the rotation. He tossed 4 innings on Sunday allowing just one run, a homer to Brandon Belt, two hits while striking out six batters. Pivetta is 4-5 with a 4.92 ERA in 21 games (eight starts) and has 73 strikeouts, 30 walks and has surrendered 11 homers.
Brandon Walter is another likely choice to make a start or two. He was a candidate to pitch this weekend if Paxton’s wife went into labor and he missed a start. Walter has worked in one game this season debuting against the Twins. He tossed 6 2/3 innings (92 pitches/56 strikes) giving up three earned runs on six hits, including one absolute moonshot to Byron Buxton, with two strikeouts and three walks.
Boston could turn to Jake Faria, Kyle Barraclough and Rio Gomez as potential options. Dinelson Lamet was recently signed to a minor league deal but was assigned to the WooSox to work on his fastball. He is likely to see time with the Red Sox following the All-Star break.
“We’re trying to get his fastball back,” Cora reporters of Lamet. “That’s the most important thing. The velocity’s there but the characteristics of it are not there. We feel like we can make some adjustments with the off-speed pitches. He sees an opportunity here to go to Triple-A and get better and see what happens in the upcoming weeks or months in our situation and get back to the big leagues.”
Shane Drohan is a long shot for the Sox but his command has been an issue in Triple-A. Drohan has walked 27 batters in 39 1/3 inning which includes 15 walks in his last 25 2/3 innings pitched.
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