Red Sox Hurler Shut Down With Rare IL Designation Amid Season-Long Struggles

Boston will have to play on without one of their high-leverage relievers

Scott Neville | Jun 5, 2024

Apr 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Martin (55) on the mound against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox continue their flurry of roster moves as injuries have become a prevailing storyline throughout the 2024 campaign.

In just a two-game series against the Atlanta Braves, American League Rookie of the Year favorite Wilyer Abreu was placed on the injured list with an ankle sprain and outfielder Tyler O'Neill returned from knee inflammation.

The other transaction in this series, however, is the most unique and provides more questions than answers.

"(Boston) placed Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list with anxiety (retroactive to June 2)," MassLive's Christopher Smith reported Wednesday. "Right-handed reliever Zack Kelly was recalled from Worcester to take Martin’s spot.

"Martin brought his anxiety to the Red Sox’ attention over the weekend."

Martin has a 4.22 ERA with a 24-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .266 batting average against and a 1.08 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings this season. Most people would be content with that production but Martin has reached much more elite levels of play in his nine-year career.

The 38-year-old has no timetable for return but Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow acknowledged that Martin felt as though his mental state was impacting his fatigue, energy, recovery and sleep.

It was apparent that something was off, as Martin is coming off a season in which he posted a 1.05 ERA in 51 1/3 innings.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora made it clear that he will give Martin as much time as he needs and hope that the veteran will get back to full strength sooner rather than later.

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Published Jun 5, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu