Red Sox pitcher Ryan Brasier has an infected right pinkie toe, and there’s currently no timetable for when he’ll begin to pitch in spring training.
Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes are the top two arms in the Red Sox bullpen who are up for the closer role now that Craig Kimbrel is gone, but it’s taking some time for Brasier to return to the mound after suffering a toe injury.
Alex Cora on Ryan Brasier's toe: "Taking longer (than expected). He should be fine. If not, we’ll just cut it. I’m just kidding."
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 24, 2019
Funny stuff.
While Red Sox fans may be concerned that Brasier hasn’t started throwing off a mound yet a week into spring training, I don’t think it’s a huge deal. This type of injury can only keep him out so long, and they have other guys in their pen who can fill the void as their closer if Brasier isn’t in tip-top shape come opening day. According to Alex Cora, he has begun to throw indoors but hasn’t been involved in drills that require a lot of movement.
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Brasier was very impressive for Boston last year, posting a 1.60 ERA in 33.2 innings, striking out 29 batters in the process. The 31-year old was also impressive in the postseason, compiling a 1.04 ERA in 8.2 innings.
It’s important that he keeps his arm in shape, which I’m sure he has during the offseason. Once he does resume mound activities, it shouldn’t take him too long to get back in the groove of things throwing against live hitters. It’s definitely important that Brasier returns before spring training finishes though so he can log some innings in the Grapefruit League before Opening Day. If this toe injury does keep him out for a longer amount of time that he doesn’t pitch at all during spring training, then it might take him some more time to get used to throwing against hitters once the season starts.
Either way, he is going to be back and it shouldn’t be too much of a worry. Matt Barnes and Tyler Thornburg both have the abilities to hold down the closer role if Brasier isn’t available immediately. Barnes and Brasier are both definitely more prototypical closers with mid to high 90’s fastballs, but Thornburg could also emerge as a candidate.
Most likely Brasier will be back before spring training ends, so no one should be concerned that his toe injury is taking longer than expected to heal. As long as his arm is in shape and he gets some innings in Florida, then he’ll be fine. Like I said above if for some reason he did miss all of the spring it wouldn’t be the end of the world either because they have Barnes and Thornburg to fill the ninth inning role while Brasier gets back to 100 percent.