The injury concerns continue to grow for the Boston Red Sox, with right-handed reliever Justin Slaten becoming the latest player to land on the injured list.
Slaten was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 13, because of right elbow inflammation. The Red Sox are hopeful that the rest period will allow him to recover and return as a key part of their bullpen push during the second half of the season. Boston’s resurgence has been fueled by several unexpected contributors, and Slaten has been one of the more important pieces of that success.
However, some of Slaten’s recent comments have raised concerns. Speaking with reporters, the 28-year-old revealed that he has been battling discomfort in both his forearm and elbow for much of the season.
While the injury itself may not be alarming, Slaten’s admission that he has been pitching through the issue multiple times this year is something the Red Sox will closely monitor.
“It’s a little bit of forearm and elbow discomfort,” Slaten said, according to Sean McAdam. “It’s something I’ve dealt with a few times this year and have just been pitching through. But this time, when it came up at the end of the homestand and into Toronto, it got to the point where it wasn’t recovering well after I pitched.”
Slaten explained that the team had been managing the issue by balancing his workload and giving him rest when needed, but the discomfort eventually reached a point where shutting him down became the best option.
“We decided it’s better for me and for the team to let this heal, take the time it needs, and do what we need to do now so we can be ready for the stretch run,” Slaten added.
Arm issues are unfortunately common among pitchers, and they are often difficult for teams to completely prevent. Still, hearing one of Boston’s more dependable bullpen arms acknowledge that he has been dealing with discomfort throughout the season is not an ideal development.
The hope is that the time off allows Slaten to fully recover so he can return in September and potentially play a major role if the Red Sox remain in the postseason race.
Although his 4.60 ERA does not stand out, underlying numbers suggest Slaten has been much better than his surface statistics indicate. His 3.02 FIP points to a pitcher who has likely been affected by some bad luck and has performed at a higher level than his ERA suggests.
For Boston, getting a healthy Slaten back could be a major boost as the team prepares for the most important stretch of the season.