Red Sox: Options to fill in the rotation for injured Steven Wright
The Boston Red Sox will need to call up a starting pitcher to fill in for Steven Wright, who landed on the disabled list with a knee injury.
Remember when the Boston Red Sox had more starting pitchers than they knew what to do with? Those were the days.
We’re only about a month into the season and Boston’s rotation depth is already being tested. David Price has yet to make a start this season and only recently started facing live batters as he continues to work his way back from elbow soreness. Now another starter will join Price on the shelf.
The Red Sox placed knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright on the 10-day disabled list on Monday with a knee sprain. Manager John Farrell revealed that Wright has dealt with the ailment off and on since spring training, but his knee only recently worsened to the extent that the team felt the need to shut him down.
Replacing an All-Star pitcher is a difficult hurdle for any team to overcome, although the Red Sox aren’t actually losing that version of Wright from last season. We haven’t seen that guy since he hurt his shoulder diving back to second base when his manager made the bone-headed blunder of using Wright as a pinch-runner. Instead, Boston only needs to worry about finding a temporary replacement for a pitcher that is 1-3 with a brutal 8.25 ERA this season.
Shouldn’t be too difficult to find someone that can provide an improvement over those numbers. Perhaps the knee has been bothering him all along, which would help explain his dismal performance. Or he could be struggling to regain his previous form after a long layoff following the shoulder injury last August. Either way, Wright needs some time off to get himself right.
In the meantime, the Red Sox need someone to start on Thursday when Wright was scheduled to take the mound. Let’s take a look at some of the options they could turn to.
Brandon Workman
The Red Sox called up right-handed pitcher Brandon Workman to take Wright’s spot on the roster, although that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be the one to take his next start.
Workman hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2014, having dealt with injuries that derailed a career that at times seemed promising.
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He’s off to an outstanding start down at Triple-A Pawtucket, tossing eight scoreless innings in which he’s allowed only two base runners and struck out 11. However, all of his appearances have come in relief, meaning he isn’t stretched out enough to handle a starter’s workload.
If the Red Sox intend to use Workman as Thursday’s starter, it would mean using a committee approach with the bullpen. Workman could conceivably give them a couple of innings, with Farrell having to patch together the rest of the game with his other available relievers.
Is it worthwhile to burn out the bullpen in order to avoid making another roster move? Probably not, although they could get by with this approach if it was only for one start. With a scheduled off day next Monday, the Red Sox could skip this spot in the rotation the next time through by bumping everyone else up a day. The next time they would need Workman to make a “start” wouldn’t be until May 14, by which point Wright would be eligible to return.
It’s unclear how long Wright will be sidelined and this option isn’t feasible unless he can return shortly after when he’s eligible. If the Red Sox know they will need to get multiple starts out of Wright’s replacement, it won’t be Workman.
Brian Johnson
The last time the Red Sox needed a spot starter they turned to Brian Johnson, with mixed results. He did earn the win and struck out six batters over five innings. He also walked four (one intentional) and gave up four runs, including a pair of homers.
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Johnson only has one other major league appearance on his resume, which came back in 2015 and ended with similar results. He now owns a 7.71 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in two career starts.
While he’s yet to find success in the big leagues, Johnson is having a solid season in Pawtucket. He ended up with a no-decision in all three of his starts but owns a 2.87 ERA. Walks have been his biggest problem, as he’s issued eight free passes in 15 2/3 innings. Considering he walked four batters in each of his career starts with the Red Sox, it’s certain to be a concern if they call him up again.
Exceptions would be low for Johnson given his previous track record at this level, although it’s not as if Pawtucket is overflowing with starting pitchers who have thrived in Boston before. Johnson is one of only two minor league starting pitchers on the Red Sox 40-man roster (not counting Workman, who is now on the active roster and not really a starter). That makes him a viable option in a scenario that lacks appealing options.
Henry Owens
The most likely candidate to take Wright’s spot is Henry Owens. Not only does he have the most experience pitching in the majors among these options, he’s also having a fantastic season in Triple-A.
Owens has been Pawtucket’s best starter this season, going 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA. He’s struck out 25 batters in 21 2/3 innings, but has also walked 12 – showcasing the control issues that have always plagued Owens.
Once a highly touted prospect, Owens has yet to live up to his potential. He made five starts for the Red Sox last season and was abused to the tune of an 0-2 record and 6.95 ERA.
Owens is a talented pitcher that still has some upside, but a fastball that tops out in the low-90’s and averages in the upper-80’s isn’t going to overpower major league hitters. He needs a craftier approach to getting out hitters, which leads to him nibbling on the corners. This gets him into trouble when he isn’t throwing with pin-point accuracy, which is the reason behind his troubling walk rates.
Can Owens learn to harness his talent to reach his potential or are his control issues going to hold him back from being anything more than a AAAA-pitcher? Good enough to warrant a call-up to the big leagues but not quite good enough to stick. That remains to be seen, although we can expect him to get another shot at some point.
Given the few available starting pitchers on the 40-man roster and the success he’s had in the minors this season, Owens is the best option to fill in for Wright.