Red Sox: Options to fill in the rotation for injured Steven Wright
By Sean Penney
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.