Red Sox Bullpen Takes Another Hit; Key Left-Hander Placed On Injured List

The Red Sox can hardly afford more losses on the pitching staff...

Aug 13, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Cam Booser (71) is taken out of the game during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

August has been a brutal month for the Boston Red Sox pitching staff, especially the bullpen. On Wednesday, that bullpen took another hit.

Tuesday night's 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers had Red Sox fans in a panic for about 20 minutes, when they came within one more base hit of blowing a 6-0 lead. The Rangers sent 10 men to the plate that inning, scoring four runs, and left the tying run on second base.

A major culprit of that fifth inning was lefty Cam Booser, who entered with Boston still leading 6-1. Booser allowed an RBI single, then walked the next two batters to force in two more runs. He was promptly pulled in favor of Lucas Sims, who escaped the inning with no further damage.

Booser didn't look like his usual self in that brief, ugly appearance. And now, it appears we know why.

The Red Sox announced on X that Booser had been placed on the 15-day injured list following Tuesday night's game with left elbow inflammation. Fellow lefty Brennan Bernardino, who had just been optioned to Triple-A on Monday, was recalled to the big-league roster.

The Red Sox also activated outfielder Jarren Duran following his two-game suspension, while infielder Enmanuel Valdez was optioned to Triple-A.

Booser, 32, had stepped into the lefty shutdown role in the Red Sox bullpen of late. The rookie, who debuted in MLB more than 10 years after beginning his professional career, posted a 3.00 ERA in 42 innings with Boston, including 42 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Bernardino, 32, essentially lost his role to Booser midway through July. He was lights-out in the first half, carrying a sub-one ERA into mid-June, but allowed 11 runs in his last eight innings of work, allowing opposing batters to hit .385 against him during that span.

It's a tough pill to swallow for the pitching staff, which has struggled to find a consistent formula since the All-Star break. Hopefully, for Boston's sake, Bernardino can rediscover the form he had early in the year after his two-day reset.

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