The Red Sox have placed right-handed reliever Hirokazu Sawamura on the 10-day injured list due to right tricep inflammation, and as a corresponding move, they’ve recalled Phillips Valdez from the WooSox.
Last time Sawamura pitched was Monday night, where he threw two pitches in order to get out of an inning, and there was no indication of an IL move — even after giving up back-to-back homers in the previous outing.
Sawamura will head to the IL with an ERA of 2.87 this season, striking out 27.5% of the batters he’s faced, despite posting a FIP of 5.45 through 37.2 innings pitched.
Valdez was debatably Boston’s best arm in 2020, posting a 3.26 ERA. He recorded a 4.20 ERA through 23.1 innings before being sent down to Triple-A, where he’s allowed four runs through 10.2 innings (3.38 ERA). The righty has struck out 31.1% of the batters he’s faced with Worcester.
As noted by Masslive.com’s Chris Cotillo, Sawamura is the fifth player on the Red Sox to be put on the injured list since the All-Star Break, which was not even two weeks ago. He joins Marwin Gonzalez, Christian Arroyo, Danny Santana, and Matt Andriese.