Red Sox reliever Zack Kelly’s elbow injury turned out to be more serious than originally thought.
Kelly, who was placed on the 60-day injured list in July with what was first listed as right elbow inflammation, was later found to have an elbow fracture, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. He is expected to start throwing again in a few weeks.
The 31-year-old has been a steady presence in Boston’s bullpen over the past five seasons, working to a 4.04 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning across 115 major league appearances. This year was more of a roller coaster. Kelly struggled early, then settled in enough to allow just two runs over his final 12 outings before Boston optioned him in May.
Kelly was pitching for Triple-A Worcester when the injury surfaced. He was recalled to the big-league roster and moved to the 60-day IL shortly after the All-Star Break. His timeline to return remains unclear, and because he’s out of minor league options, Boston won’t have the same roster flexibility with him in 2027.
Cotillo also reported a pair of coaching moves in the organization. Chad Epperson is heading to Worcester to become manager of the WooSox.
Epperson had been on Boston’s major league staff after being promoted from the minors during the club’s sweeping coaching overhaul in April, when manager Alex Cora was fired along with five other coaches. One of those departures was third base/outfield coach Kyle Hudson, and Epperson filled that opening for the rest of the season.
Epperson has spent more than 20 years in the organization and has 10 seasons of minor league managerial experience at the Single-A and Double-A levels. Chad Tracy began the 2026 season as Worcester’s manager before being elevated to the big-league job after Cora’s dismissal.
Boston made Tracy the full-time manager shortly before the regular season ended. Epperson now takes over for Iggy Suarez, who finished the year as Worcester’s interim skipper.
Boston also moved Pablo Cabrera back to the minors. Cabrera stepped in at first base after the April shakeup, while José David Flores, who opened the season in that job, shifted to bench coach after Ramón Vázquez was let go. Cabrera will return to his previous role as the organization’s minor league defensive coordinator.
Cabrera has been with the Red Sox since 2023 and spent time in several minor league roles before his promotion to interim first base coach. He was elevated to defensive coordinator ahead of the 2026 season.
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