ATLANTA -- After a frustrating May in which the Red Sox went 11-17, the club started June with another injury to a key player.
Righty Justin Slaten, Boston’s ace setup man, was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday -- retroactive to Thursday -- with right shoulder inflammation.
However, unlike the injuries to starting corner infielders Triston Casas (out for the season) and Alex Bregman (expected to miss several weeks), Slaten is hoping to be back in a couple of weeks. He said an MRI was not needed.
“Just having a little bit of fatigue right now,” said Slaten. “I don't think it's anything super serious, but kind of had some stuff nagging for a little bit now, and think it just kind of caught up to me that last little bit in Milwaukee. So just a matter of getting ahead of it and taking care of it, and not letting it get to where something major could happen. Just trying to control it.”
Slaten joins Liam Hendriks (right hip inflammation) as Boston’s second reliever to be placed on the IL during this weekend series in Atlanta. In 24 games this season, Slaten has three saves and a 0.90 WHIP.
Aside from ace Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox didn’t get much length out of their starting rotation in May, and that placed an added toll on the bullpen.
“In May, we went to them a lot,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the bullpen. “I think obviously we try to space the days. But you cannot dictate what happens that night.”
Cora cited Justin Wilson, Greg Weissert and Garrett Whitlock as players who will pick up some of the high-leverage situations that Slaten is typically used in as the eighth inning bridge to closer Aroldis Chapman.
In his rookie season last year, Slaten was out from July 12-Aug. 25 with right elbow inflammation. Slaten later admitted to not being as honest with the training staff as he should have been in the weeks leading up to that shutdown.
Judging by the timing of this IL stint, it was a lesson learned.
“Yeah, and that's something I told him yesterday, ‘I appreciate you being honest.’ It didn't affect him performance-wise,” said Cora.
In Slaten’s most recent outing on Wednesday in Milwaukee, he recorded just one out while taking the loss as the Red Sox were walked off by the Brewers, 6-5.
“Last outing in Milwaukee, velo was down, so that was something that was a little bit concerning,” said Slaten. “So it’s just a matter of getting ahead of it.”