Boston Red Sox fans were already going through it on Thursday night after Willson Contreras left the series finale against the Texas Rangers early after being hit by a pitch on the hand. Seeing Garrett Whitlock emerge from the bullpen to close a 4-3 game in the ninth inning only made fears worse.
Whitlock is no slouch, as Red Sox fans know, and he got through the ninth frame unscathed, but fans expect to see Aroldis Chapman in moments like that. After the game, Boston announced that Chapman was unavailable due to a lat issue.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said in his September 17 postgame presser that Chapman has been dealing with lat tightness for a couple of days but that he's been improving lately. Boston has classified him as day-to-day and it will routinely check on his recovery progress to gauge his availability.
The best news from Tracy on Chapman is that the team will not place him on the injured list. The Sox's bullpen has been one of their deadliest weapons all season and Chapman with his 1.95 ERA, 34 saves, blistering velocity and unmatched consistency at 38 years old has been a huge part of that success.
Aroldis Chapman injury news is a blow the Red Sox's bullpen can't afford as the playoffs near
Still, having Chapman at anything less than 100 percent is dangerous this late in the season with the playoffs on the horizon. In a tight game, one slip-up in the ninth inning could lead to disaster.
The rest of the Red Sox's bullpen is hardly in its best shape. Justin Slaten's season ended following continued flexor issues and Tyron Guerrero is still on the IL bouncing back from shoulder inflammation. Erik Miller is also dealing with a mechanical issue that has severely impacted his command over his last two outings.
If Chapman's injury is as mild as Tracy is letting on and he doesn't need an IL stint, Boston might be able to avoid disaster. But it also needs Chapman's help to clinch its playoff spot in the first place. The offense is struggling to get out to enough of a lead that it doesn't need Chapman to hold a slim margin in the late innings, but that won't fly in the postseason, especially with an injured closer.
At least the Red Sox expect some relief reinforcements in the coming days. Tanner Houck and Garrett Crochet are working towards returns from long-term injuries in a relief role and they could take some pressure off the 'pen, but neither could fill Chapman's role.
Add us as a preferred source on Google