Boston Red Sox: Drew Pomeranz Scratched from Thursday Start
By Keaton Moore
Due to arm fatigue and concern over his elevated innings count, Boston Red Sox pitcher Pomeranz will not take the mound against the Yankees on Thursday.
A sore left forearm and a rising innings count will keep Boston Red Sox pitcher Drew Pomeranz from his start against the New York Yankees on Thursday. His replacement, Henry Owens, will make his fifth major league start to wrap up the three-game series. Meanwhile, Pomeranz has time to recover and could be available to potentially serve the Red Sox in relief during the postseason.
Boston’s trade for Pomeranz on July 14 has not panned out exactly the way the Red Sox hoped. Switching spots with Boston’s top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, Pomeranz was 8-7 and posted a 2.47 ERA while in San Diego. However, since donning a Red Sox uniform, he is 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA.
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Playing a role in Pomeranz’s fatiguing arm could be his high number of innings pitched, which reached 100-plus for the first time in his career. Although he pitched 96.2 innings through 22 starts for the Colorado Rockies in 2012, Pomeranz threw 169.1 innings in 33 starts between San Diego and Boston before his arm gave out. Other than holding the Tampa Bay Rays to one run in his last start, Pomeranz’s taxation showed during the month of September, allowing 21 hits and 12 runs through 16.1 innings pitched.
While it may be difficult for some pitchers to adjust to relief after becoming used to their starting role, Pomeranz should have no trouble transitioning back to the bullpen if he is needed in the postseason. Although Pomeranz started 24 games during his first two seasons in Colorado, he was used as a reliever by the Rockies and the Oakland Athletics from 2013 through 2015, pitching 63 innings with a 2.14 ERA from the bullpen.
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Another interesting thing to note regarding Pomeranz is the wayward actions of Padres general manager A.J. Preller, who is currently in the midst of a 30-game suspension. His instructions for the medical staff to make two separate medical forms, one for the players and the other for the league, was meant to hide medical information from potential trade partners such as the Red Sox.