Newly Injured Red Sox Pitcher Has Been Dealing With Elbow Issue All Season originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The injuries continue to pile up for the Boston Red Sox, with right-hander Justin Slaten being the latest to go on the injured list.
Slaten is on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 13, with right elbow inflammation. The hope is that after these 15 days, he can return to the Red Sox bullpen and be a big piece of what they're trying to do in the second half. The Red Sox have really impressed, and guys like Slaten have been a big reason why.
One concern, however, is the 28-year-old's recent comments. He spoke to reporters about how he's feeling, noting that he's been dealing with some forearm and elbow discomfort.
That wasn't necessarily the issue, as he added that he's dealt with it a few times this season.
"It's a little bit of forearm and elbow discomfort," said Slaten, per Sean McAdam.
"It's something that I've been dealing with a few times this year, that I've just been pitching through. But this time, when it popped up that last day of the homestand and into Toronto...we had bee doing a really good job of managing it, just pitching through it and then giving it some rest. But this time, it just got a little too much to the point where I was pitching and for two or three days afterward, it just wasn't recovering well at all. "So we made the decision that it's better for me, for the team, for the guts in the bullpen, to let's just get this heal and take its time and do what we need to do now so we can be ready to go down the stretch."
Pitchers often deal with arm injuries, and it isn't really something that teams around Major League Baseball can control, so to speak.
However, hearing one of the more important relievers in the Red Sox bullpen come out and say that he's dealt with some injuries throughout the year is far from ideal.
Perhaps he can work through it in September or October, when he'll be needed.
Slaten owns a 4.60 ERA, which isn't great, but he has a 3.02 FIP, suggesting he's been a bit unlucky and much better than the base numbers show.
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