Wright likely to miss ALDS/ALCS (knee)

Sandy Leon Trotsky

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Shit. I had him as a key factor in winning this (and especially the next) series. Who'll take his spot? I can't think of anyone I'd want out there
 

Byrdbrain

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I assume Hembree and yes no one will want to see him out there. If they don't see Hembree having a role then I guess it could be Velazquez in the role of multi-inning guy in a game you've already pretty much given up on.
 

Rook05

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They really need to stop using him as a pinch runner.

Look, I know this sucks and that we’re all rational viewers, but I can’t imagine trying to watch him pitch out a no-outs-runners-at-the-corners eighth inning.

Someone in the game thread said it best: What’s Josh Gordon’s availability?
 

j44thor

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Just saw this, had him as one of the most important pieces of the pen this series.
I'd hate to have him in with runners one but probably no one I'd trust more in the 8th with no one on, esp against MFY.
 

Cesar Crespo

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I assume Hembree and yes no one will want to see him out there. If they don't see Hembree having a role then I guess it could be Velazquez in the role of multi-inning guy in a game you've already pretty much given up on.
I'd rather Poyner since he can at least throw strikes. He may have a HR issue though, and that's not something you want to find out against the Yankees.
 

soxin6

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With Hicks perhaps out as well, I think having Poyner to use against Melonhead Gardner could be useful. He can’t pitch against righties, but I am not sure Hembree can pitch against anyone on the Yankees.
 

Ale Xander

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This seems out of nowhere. Maybe they should have rested him in September like our other important starters.

Hoping for Vela as the replacement.
 

patoaflac

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With Hicks perhaps out as well, I think having Poyner to use against Melonhead Gardner could be useful. He can’t pitch against righties, but I am not sure Hembree can pitch against anyone on the Yankees.
I believe Poyner will implode as Brasier. Now, they are not right in high leverage situations. As bad as Hembree was lately, he is a veteran and could handle things better. Velazquez if you want a long man.
 

Wingack

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Just saw this, had him as one of the most important pieces of the pen this series.
I'd hate to have him in with runners one but probably no one I'd trust more in the 8th with no one on, esp against MFY.
As a Yankee fan I can confirm, Wright is the last guy I want to see coming out of the bullpen.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Anyone have details on what happened with the knee? Quick Bing search wasn't enlightening. Weird that knee pains shows up during Game 1 pre-game.
 

RedOctober3829

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Anyone have details on what happened with the knee? Quick Bing search wasn't enlightening. Weird that knee pains shows up during Game 1 pre-game.
It's the knee he had the surgery on in the offseason. It was one of the first procedures done on a baseball player along with Pedroia. Point being, his knee was really screwed up and it's not surprising that it flared up again. He was pitching really well too. Oh well, hope he's OK for the WS.
 

Tyrone Biggums

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This is significant. Having the knuckleball as a weapon out of the pen can’t be understated. Now the Sox are going to have to add yet another bum which slims the margin of error even more. The downgrade to Hembree is steep.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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The biggest frustration about this is that they submitted the rosters yesterday afternoon. He didn't know his knee was balky prior to that? I mean, this isn't like Nunez's knee last year where he actually tried to play and then realized he couldn't go. Wright was unavailable in game 1. I understand the alternatives aren't great, but if he can't go in game 1, put someone on the roster who can. At least then, if he feels better, they can put him on the ALCS roster.

As for replacing him, Hembree or Poyner make logical sense to me. I don't know why it needs to be repeated, but Wright is not a long reliever. They don't need a guy who can do that to replace him. Long relief is why the fifth starter is in the pen in the post-season. If they need multiple innings, they have ERod and they have whichever starter has had the most rest.
 

DeadlySplitter

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I think they were planning to have Wright go 2-3 IP if necessary, contrary to RedHawks' post. I think it's at least in part why Cora's bullpen decision seemed so bizarre last night.

I have no idea who they will replace him with, all have serious downsides. The answer could be every starter uses their throw day as an inning in the actual game
 

JohnnyTheBone

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Wright was one of the ten most important players on the roster, in my opinion, going into this playoff run. I expected him to be a multi-inning weapon out of the bullpen, and he had been pitching extremely well. This is a massive loss. Somebody will have to step up, and I can see EdRo filling that void splendidly.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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All you people calling for Hembree are insane. They'll replace one long man/starter with another. Johnson/Velazquez come on down. (I'd guess they go with the lefty here)
 

AB in DC

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I took a look at the available relievers' performance against RHPsRHBs:

(Wright .276 wOBA)
(Workman .315)
(Kelly .318)
Velazquez .323
BJohnson .350
Hembree .358
Poyner .371
Pomeranz .406

Yuck.
 
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Ale Xander

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I took a look at the available relievers' performance against RHPs:

(Wright .276 wOBA)
(Workman .315)
(Kelly .318)
Velazquez .323
BJohnson .350
Hembree .358
Poyner .371
Pomeranz .406

Yuck.
I wonder what their wOBA is against RH position players.
 

brs3

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Any chance the Sox knew of the injury but wanted to see how game 1 played out with the pen before determining who to replace him with?
 

Rovin Romine

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This is something of a Mulligan moment for Cora, given the bullpen performance last night. He'll want the best pitcher available against *this* particular team for the remaining 2, 3 or 4 games.
 

DeadlySplitter

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Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 3m3 minutes ago
MLB has approved a roster substitution for the Red Sox due to an injury sustained by RHP Steven Wright. Wright, who has been diagnosed with inflammation and loose body in his left knee, will be replaced on the Division Series roster by RHP Heath Hembree.

Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 1m1 minute ago
Re: Wright coming off the roster. A “loose body” is usually a bone chip or something of the sort and is removed surgically. So odds of him returning this postseason seem slim.

Suddenly a bone chip over the past week. what can you do?
 

gedman211

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They should really get someone up to walk the lefties. For the sake of balance.
 

Rasputin

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but this means he's ineligible for the next series even if he's healthy, right?
 

DeadlySplitter

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that's correct, only eligible to return in WS now. and based on the injury language, "loose body" / inflammation in knee, I bet he's entirely done.

if a player is replaced in LCS or later, his season is over. the one exception is concussions.
 

mauidano

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I just don't get it. I love Wright but how in the hell does this keep happening to him? It's not like he is playing a position where he has to run much if at all. His pitching motion doesn't require a whole lot of torque or stress to complete. Frustrating for all.
 

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I just don't get it. I love Wright but how in the hell does this keep happening to him? It's not like he is playing a position where he has to run much if at all. His pitching motion doesn't require a whole lot of torque or stress to complete. Frustrating for all.
It's still his plant leg, and he's putting stress on it over and over. It isn't about running.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 3m3 minutes ago
MLB has approved a roster substitution for the Red Sox due to an injury sustained by RHP Steven Wright. Wright, who has been diagnosed with inflammation and loose body in his left knee, will be replaced on the Division Series roster by RHP Heath Hembree.

Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 1m1 minute ago
Re: Wright coming off the roster. A “loose body” is usually a bone chip or something of the sort and is removed surgically. So odds of him returning this postseason seem slim.

Suddenly a bone chip over the past week. what can you do?
Went to a Dr. about a pain in my knee. He said there was a loose body in there. So I went for surgery and when he took it out, it was bigger than me.

Not only that but it turned out to be the woman from Germany who told me to "Cut That Out."

edit: couldn't resist, sorry.
 

Sampo Gida

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Hembree for Wright makes a questionable pen more so.

I was counting on Wright, perhaps more than I should have , but the Yankees have had trouble with him. Hembree against the Yankees is like a HR Derby pitcher. Unless the game is out of hand I hope not to see him

Tough couple of years for Wright. With his knees he probably needs to work on his conditioning and drop a few pounds and hopefully be ready for next year
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I think they were planning to have Wright go 2-3 IP if necessary, contrary to RedHawks' post. I think it's at least in part why Cora's bullpen decision seemed so bizarre last night.
Not to belabor the point, but after he came back from the DL, he had three multi-inning outings (out of 10 total). The last two of which came in his final four appearances. Wouldn't shock me if the longer outings were the impetus for the latest inflammation. It was starting that did it earlier in the year. His knee clearly isn't up to longer outings.

I feel like people envisioned his role this October to be 2016-Andrew-Miller-esque. I really don't think that was going to happen.
 

Rasputin

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It's going to be very interesting to see what happens next year with both Wright and Pedroia. They might be fantastic, but we gotta plan for them being nonexistent. It kinda sucks.
 

Humphrey

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Someone in another thread said Mazz inferred that Wright was taking a dive so he didn't have to face the Yankees? That's not even worth calling the show to curse him out; it's pathetic.