Red Sox place Drew Pomeranz on disabled list

We’ve been waiting for this shoe to drop for a while, and though we certainly weren’t rooting for an injury it’s been clear that something is not right with Drew Pomeranz. The Red Sox lefty has been incredibly ineffective all year, pitching to a 6.81 ERA over his first eight starts of the season. He’s struggling with his control and command while also watching his velocity fall to the point where his fastball is sitting consistently in the 80s. That is not a formula for success, though both Pomeranz and the team have stressed that it is a mechanical issue. No more, apparently, as he was placed on the 10-day disabled list prior to Tuesday’s game with biceps tendinitis. Brandon Workman will take his spot in the rotation.

So, like I said, something had to give with Pomeranz. It’s not clear how much time they expect the southpaw to miss, but if nothing else this gives him some time to work with trainers and coaches outside of the spotlight to figure out what’s going wrong. Additionally, it will give him an opportunity to try out any mechanical changes in a minor-league setting rather than for a major-league team contending for a playoff spot.

As for what happens to the rotation from here, Steven Wright is starting tonight in what was supposed to be a spot start in order to get the rest of the rotation rest. Instead, it seems he’ll stick in the rotation according to Cora. However, the pitchers will still get that extra rest as Chris Sale isn’t being pushed to Thursday’s start. They haven’t announced who will get that Thursday start, but it’s worth noting that Jalen Beeks is scheduled to start that day. My guess is that he’ll get the nod for a spot start.

As for Workman, he’ll give the Red Sox another right-handed option out of the bullpen who can pitch both in short stints and give multiple innings if needed. He had a rough start to his year at Triple-A, but things have turned around over the last few weeks. It was only a matter of time until he got a chance.