Boston Red Sox: Drew Pomeranz Placed on 10-Day Disabled List

The Boston Red Sox placed starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz on the new 10-day disabled list, jeopardizing the start of his season.

The Boston Red Sox pitching rotation was expected to be among the best in baseball in 2017, but injuries have already clouded the promising group of starters. After David Price went down with an elbow injury, Drew Pomeranz has now been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left forearm flexor strain.

Pomeranz has struggled with injuries his entire career, including the end of last season when he skipped his final start due to soreness in the same forearm he is being shelved for today. He had a plasma injection in the forearm during the offseason, but was assumed to be ready for a full workload when he reported to Fort Myers.

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Pomeranz status was also in question earlier this spring when he was pulled from a start after two innings due to shoulder soreness. It is good news that the shoulder is not the issue this time, but obviously concerning that Pomeranz has suffered another injury when he is sorely needed in the rotation.

The 10-day disabled list is a new addition to Major League Baseball this season, replacing the 15-day designation. Rather than holding Pomeranz out of the first week of action, it is possible that the 10-day designation will allow him to return on April 9th against the Detroit Tigers.

The Boston Red Sox open the season on April 3rd, but an off day on April 4th would allow Opening Day starter Rick Porcello to make his next start on April 8th on a normal five-day rest cycle. Pomeranz would then be eligible to slot back in the rotation on the 9th.

If Pomeranz’s injury is judged to need more time to heal, the logical replacement seems to be Kyle Kendrick, who was recently assigned to Pawtucket. Kendrick was signed as rotation insurance over the offseason and will make only $1 million in 2017, but it is sounding like he will be worth every penny of that contract.

Kendrick pitched in seven Spring Training games (six starts) before he was assigned to AAA camp, going 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 29 innings. He last pitched for Colorado in 2015, where we was 7-13 with a nasty 6.32 ERA and led the league in both earned runs allowed (100) and home runs allowed (33). Kendrick spent the 2016 season in the Los Angeles Angels minor league system, but now is on the verge of an opportunity to continue his major league comeback.

Pomeranz already has all eyes on him after disappointing in 2016, while promising pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza impressed in the San Diego Padres system. He was only 3-5 with a 4.59 ERA and fourteen homers allowed in fourteen games after making the National League All-Star team with San Diego earlier in the season.

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Pomeranz struggled to a 8.25 ERA in the spring, but the hope is that he can get his health in order and return to Boston as a contributing member of the rotation sooner rather than later.

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