With 18 games left in the regular season, the Red Sox are still waiting on one of their important late-inning arms - and now they’ve hit pause on that comeback.
Right-hander Justin Slaten, out since Aug. 12 with right elbow inflammation, had started throwing again, but Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said Monday that the reliever has been shut down after the same “symptoms” that sent him to the injured list resurfaced, according to Gabrielle Starr of The Boston Herald.
"Chad Tracy said Justin Slaten began throwing and things were 'going well,' but then some of [the] same symptoms that prompted the IL stint returned, so the Red Sox shut him down again," Starr wrote.
That leaves Slaten’s status very much unsettled as the season winds down. Boston’s bullpen has been one of the best in baseball anyway, ranking second with a 3.14 ERA, trailing only the Yankees at 3.05, but Slaten would still be a meaningful piece if he can make it back.
His overall numbers before the injury don’t jump off the page - a 4.60 ERA in 36 appearances with 39 strikeouts and eight walks across 31 1/3 innings - but the Red Sox were clearly leaning on him in high-leverage spots. Over his final 13 outings before getting hurt, he looked much sharper, posting a 1.59 ERA with a 13-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The elbow issue makes the whole situation more uncomfortable. For Boston, the hope is still that Slaten can recover in time to get back on the mound before the regular season ends. For now, though, there’s no timeline.
There is at least some encouraging bullpen news elsewhere. Tanner Houck and Garrett Crochet are both moving in the right direction and could help down the stretch.
Houck is set to start a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Tuesday. Crochet has already resumed throwing, completed his first bullpen on Friday, and is expected to throw another on Tuesday.
So while Houck and Crochet are trending up, Slaten is stuck in limbo. That leaves the Red Sox with a few bullpen storylines to track over the final stretch.
In Other News...
Red Sox Pitching Depth Could Get A Huge Late Boost
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For the Red Sox, the broader injury picture is worth watching because it includes several names tied to the pitching mix around the league and in Bostons own orbit, including Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck and Johan Oviedo. In a season where every healthy arm matters, any late movement on that front can ripple through the rotation and bullpen plans, which is why updates like this continue to draw attention even when the news is coming from another clubhouse. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Prospect Is Easing One Big Adley Rutschman Trade Fear
When Boston sent Adley Rutschman to Baltimore on Aug. 3, one of the immediate worries was whether the Red Sox had given up too much value for the long view. Hayden Mullins has helped quiet that concern some, turning in a strong stretch on the mound since the deal and giving Boston a reason to feel better about the pitching side of the trade return.
Mullins has stacked up a run of efficient outings, trimming his season ERA and sharpening his strikeout-to-walk profile along the way. The broader picture still matters, though, because the players Boston got back have also been performing well in Baltimores system, which means the trade may end up being judged less by one headline name than by how both organizations develop what they received. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face A Tough Ranger Suarez Decision At The Worst Time
Bostons rotation is reaching the point of the season when every start carries extra weight, and the recent signs of fatigue have only sharpened the pressure on the clubs pitching choices. Some arms have been laboring in recent outings, and that has put a spotlight on Ranger Suarez, whose place in any playoff plan is suddenly up for debate at a time when the Red Sox can least afford a misstep.
Jonathan Papelbon has already made his preference clear, saying he would leave Suarez out of a postseason rotation after the left-handers recent issues. Still, Suarez brings a track record that matters in October, with a low ERA and WHIP in the playoffs that suggests he can handle the moment even if the recent results have been uneven, leaving Boston with a decision that is as uncomfortable as it is important. [Read more 🡒]