Price (wrist) to miss Friday start vs. Yanks
BOSTON -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora presented two pieces of bad news during his pregame briefing with reporters on Thursday.
Lefty David Price, who was due to make his second start back from the injured list on Friday night against the Yankees, has instead been scratched due to recurring discomfort in his left wrist. It’s possible he could pitch on the road next week in Toronto or Philadelphia.
In addition, infielder Michael Chavis won’t return from the IL this weekend as had been originally planned due to a setback with his right oblique. There’s a chance Chavis won’t play again this season.
The right-handed-hitting rookie has been sidelined since Aug. 11 -- first due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder and then the injury to his left side which cropped up in his Minor League rehab assignment.
“We have to stop his baseball activities,” Cora said. “I don’t know where it’s going to take us. We’re running out of time. Obviously there’s no at-bats in other places.”
The continued absence of Chavis means that Cora will continue to play Sam Travis at first base against lefties. At second, Cora has little choice but to start a left-handed hitter -- either Brock Holt or Marco Hernández.
With Price out of the mix at least through the weekend, Cora will go with bullpen games on both Friday and Saturday against the Yankees. Rick Porcello will start on Sunday night and emerging ace Eduardo Rodriguez will pitch the finale of the rivalry series on Monday.
Cora had already been going with bullpen games in the spot vacated by the injured Chris Sale (out for the season) and he’ll likely do the same in Price’s slot until the veteran lefty returns.
“David, after the bullpen yesterday, he felt a little bit tight with his wrist,” Cora said. “He saw the specialist yesterday. It’s not as bad as the first one, but obviously we’re not going to throw him out there just to make a start. The changeup was OK. The cutter was OK yesterday so he pushed hard to pitch, and I’m like, ‘No, we’re not going to do this to you,' so we’ll go with the bullpen.”
Price was first sidelined with a cyst on his left wrist nearly a month ago. He made a short return last weekend against the Angels, throwing two innings. The plan was for Price to continue building up his pitch count.
But those plans have, at the very least, been stalled. The cyst is still there, and there’s a chance Price will have it surgically removed after the season.
When Price has discomfort in his wrist, it impacts his pitch mix considerably.
“It’s not like it got worse,” Cora said. “It’s just, he feels tight. And honestly, I’m not going to throw David without a changeup or a cutter out there. He can throw fastballs in, fastballs away, but he’s not going to compete like that. I don’t want him to compete like that. We’ll wait. Whenever he’s ready, we’ll try it again, and he’ll go back out.”
If nothing else, the Sox are well-stocked for bullpen games. After making four more callups on Wednesday, Boston has a whopping 21 pitchers on the roster.