The Boston Red Sox have a shortage of left-handed pitchers in their bullpen, and pitcher Chris Murphy is facing injury concerns with his elbow, leading to a shutdown and an MRI scheduled for further evaluation. Red Sox manager Alex Cora expressed concern about Murphy’s condition and indicated that more information would be available after the MRI.
Chris Murphy showed glimpses of his potential during his initial stint in the majors last season. Upon his call-up in June, the 25-year-old had an impressive start with the Red Sox, primarily serving as a multi-inning reliever and conceding only five earned runs across his first 28 1/3 innings of pitching.
However, Murphy encountered challenges later on, concluding the season with 20 bullpen appearances and registering a 4.91 ERA alongside one save and 49 strikeouts across 47 2/3 innings.
The 2019 sixth-round draft pick was competing for a comparable role this season. He participated in five spring training games, with his most recent appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies last Thursday. Murphy delivered an impressive performance, recording five strikeouts while conceding no runs on one hit and one walk over 2 1/3 innings.
However, following that game, concerns about his injury surfaced.
“He didn’t recover well,” Cora stated, as reported by Smith. “He was a bit concerned about the elbow, and we share those concerns. So we’ll assess the situation.”
With Murphy’s status uncertain, the Red Sox face a shortage of left-handed pitchers in the bullpen. Brennan Bernardino, who earned a role with Boston after being waived by the Seattle Mariners last season, is expected to secure a roster spot. Additionally, Joely RodrÃguez and Lucas Luetge are available as alternatives.
