Boston just took a massive hit to their pitching staff, with reliever Justin Slaten officially done for the season. The guy’s been battling right elbow inflammation for a month, and now we know the grim details: interim manager Chad Tracy confirmed Slaten has “degenerative changes in the flexor mass.” Yeah, you read that right. Degenerative changes. He’s already getting a PRP injection, and that’s it for 2026.
Another Arm Down, Red Sox Pitching Woes Mount
This is a brutal blow, plain and simple. Slaten was a consistent presence, racking up 36 appearances this year with a 2-4 record and a 4.60 ERA. His last outing was a scoreless inning back on August 12 in Toronto. Now, he’s off to see Dr. Keith Meister, the go-to ortho guy for elbows, but it’s not for a miracle cure, it’s for rehab that takes him out of the game. When you hear “degenerative changes,” you know it’s not a quick fix. It’s a long road back, and it means the Red Sox are losing another reliable arm when they need them most. Slaten is just one of eight Red Sox pitchers sitting on the injured list right now. EIGHT! That’s not just bad luck, that’s a full-blown crisis.
Slim Hopes and Lingering Questions for the Rotation
While Slaten’s season is over, there are at least some updates on other injured pitchers, even if they’re not exactly bursting with good news. Left-handed starter Garrett Crochet, last season’s American League Cy Young Award runner-up, is still trying to get back on track. He’s been out since late April with left shoulder inflammation and then a lat strain. He threw about 30 pitches before Tuesday’s game, the most volume he’s had in a while, and Tracy said “everything went well.” That’s a tiny glimmer of hope, but they’re still waiting to see how he feels over the next few days. Remember, before he went down, Crochet was struggling with a 3-3 record and a 6.30 ERA in six starts. He could potentially pitch in relief if the Red Sox even make the playoffs, which at this point, feels like a big “if” given the constant injuries. Then there’s right-handed reliever Tyron Guerrero. He’s eligible for activation as soon as Wednesday, after being on the IL since September 1 with right shoulder inflammation. Again, it’s a “we’ll see how everything goes” situation. This team is just getting hammered by injuries, and it’s making any kind of late-season push incredibly difficult.
So, the Red Sox are limping into their next game in Texas on Wednesday with their pitching staff in shambles. Losing Slaten for good is a major blow, and the returns of Crochet and Guerrero are far from certain. They need some serious good news, and fast, if they want to salvage anything from this injury-plagued season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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