Baltimore @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 6, 2010 ) Boston 3, Baltimore 4
The injuries continue to mount for the Boston Red Sox at an alarming rate. With several starters already on the disabled list, Boston placed reliever Manny Delcarmen on the 15-day DL with a right forearm strain Thursday.
That move was made as much out of ineffectiveness as it was injury and Delcarmen will not be available as the Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night in the first of a three-game series at Fenway Park.
Something had to give with Delcarmen. The right-hander has faced 14 batters in his last three appearances and retired only three of them. On Wednesday night he failed to retire a batter in Boston’s 9-4 loss to Tampa Bay.
Delcarmen faced five batters in the eighth inning and all of them scored as the Rays blew open a tight game. He later said he had no feel for his pitches.
While Delcarmen is headed out, the Red Sox got some good news regarding Josh Beckett. Boston’s Opening Day starter pitched a simulated game against a group of independent league players on Thursday. He threw 41 pitches and reported no problems.
Beckett is expected to make a couple of minor league rehab starts before rejoining the team. He may start in Pawtucket on Tuesday.
Also, Clay Buchholz threw from the mound for the first time since he injured his hamstring running the bases over the weekend. He could start against Tampa Bay on Monday.
While the Red Sox have before a veritable MASH unit of late, Baltimore was also hit with a major injury on Wednesday. Outfielder Luke Scott was placed on the 15-day DL after pulling his hamstring while running the bases during a home run.
Scott limped around the paths on his way to home plate and went on the disabled list Thursday.
The Orioles called up highly touted minor leaguer Josh Bell to take his place. His stay may be short - Felix Pie is due to come off the DL soon - but Bell is regarded as one the bright spots in the Baltimore organization.
Bell was batting .266 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs with Triple-A Norfolk. He was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers last year for closer George Sherrill.
Boston begins the series 1 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for the AL East lead and a game ahead the Rays for second place.
The Red Sox will start struggling Tim Wakefield, who has just one win in his last six starts.
Rookie Gustavo Molina was targeted to start at catcher. Molina was called up when Victor Martinez went on the DL with a broken thumb, but Boston re-acquired Kevin Cash on Thursday from the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder Angel Sanchez. Cash played for the Red Sox in 2007 and 2008 and was a staple behind the plate for Wakefield.
Brad Bergesen starts for the Orioles. After winning three straight starts in early May, he hasn’t won since and has been used out of the bullpen several times.