Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Likely Losing Another Starting Starting Pitcher Due To Arm Injury

Boston's rotation cannot catch a break this summer

Scott Neville

Red Sox Likely Losing Another Starting Starting Pitcher Due To Arm Injury
Red Sox Likely Losing Another Starting Starting Pitcher Due To Arm Injury /
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The Boston Red Sox rotation has been anchoring this team to the bottom of the American League East all season, due to performance and an inability to stay healthy.

That trend has continued despite a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, as right-hander Garrett Whitlock has once again gone down due to injury.

Whitlock tossed one inning on Sunday before leaving due to right elbow tightness -- a concerning diagnosis. 

The 27-year-old appeared distraught while speaking to the media after the game, and reluctantly revealed he'd been dealing with the ailment prior to Sunday, though he did not expand on how long he's been battling what he defined as "tightness" in his arm. 

Whitlock missed multiple starts from late April through most of May for right elbow ulnar neuritis just a few weeks after he started the season on the injured list due to an offseason hip surgery. 

Considering the Red Sox were able to snag Whitlock from the New York Yankees due to the Evil Empire not protecting him on the 40-man roster post-Tommy John surgery, it's looking like Whitlock might not be built for a large workload. He's also been underperforming mightily this season.

The lanky flamethrower has a 5.23 ERA with a 47-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .298 batting average against and 1.32 WHIP in 51 2/3 innings across 10 starts this season. 

Boston might be reluctant to keep flipping Whitlock from reliever to starter to reliever to starter and then back to the bullpen -- which would be his entire arc if he does indeed return to his multi-inning relief role.

However, Whitlock has been a far superior reliever compared to his production as a starter and would likely have a better chance of remaining healthy. 

The Red Sox do not have the depth to consider such a move this season but should highly consider it in the offseason -- while negotiating with an upcoming free-agent class stacked with starting pitching. 

Regardless of Whitlock's future, Boston will need to fill his spot in the rotation in the interim. Brandon Walter likely will play a role and Kyle Barraclough likely will get a long look for Triple-A Worcester after two strong starts. It's also worth keeping an eye on recently acquired right-hander Dinelson Lamet. 

Whitlock will have an MRI Monday but appears primed for a stint on the injured list. 

He would join Chris Sale and Tanner Houck on the shelf should he miss time.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Catcher Designated For Assignment; Reunion Makes Sense

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Scott Neville
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

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