Red Sox Fear Promising Hurler Suffered Potential Season-Ending Injury

The Boston Red Sox's pitching struggles continue to get worse as another arm may be sidelined for the start of the 2024 season.

With Lucas Giolito already confirmed as out for the year, Boston's pitching staff cannot afford to lose more talent. Unfortunately, the club may have to face that reality soon.

"After initial imaging, the fear is that Red Sox left-hander Chris Murphy has a high-grade tear in an elbow ligament," MassLive's Chris Cotillo wrote on Tuesday.

Murphy has a 3.86 ERA with an 11-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .297 batting average against and a 1.61 WHIP in 9 1/3 innings across five games pitched in spring training this year. He posted a 1.59 ERA through the first nine big-league games of his career last season but struggled late and ended with a 4.91 ERA due to a few poor performances. 

The southpaw's diagnosis has not yet been confirmed, but it is worrisome to the team as he was likely going to be leaned upon as a key bullpen piece. Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked for updates on Murphy's status and voiced his concerns on Tuesday.

“There’s a difference in the elbow. Compared the MRI with previous ones,” Cora said, as transcribed by Cotillo. “The doctors are taking a look at it to see what’s next with him. Obviously we are concerned. I’m not saying surgery will be the option but obviously the doctors know more about this than me. The upcoming days we’ll know more.” 

Any injury to a pitcher's elbow is alarming, but it is encouraging to hear that surgery may not be required.