Hold up folks. Things are becoming more and more interesting for the Boston Red Sox and the season hasn’t even started yet.
One day after it was announced that closer Andrew Bailey has a thumb injury, it now turns out that Josh Beckett may have one as well and miss his first two starts of the season.
Alfredo Aceves told reporters that Bobby Valentine told him to be prepared to start against the Tigers on Saturday and in the home opener on April 13.
“[Valentine] said Josh Beckett has an injury in his thumb. That’s what he said and if he doesn’t start the second game, I will start the second game and the first game at home,” Aceves said. “And then he said, ‘For now you’re going to be in the bullpen.’ “
What’s odd about this is the fact that Beckett threw a side session yesterday and there were no reports of any injury suffered during the outing or the fact that his thumb was bothering him at all. He is on his way to San Antonio to have the injury checked out.
So as the quote from Alfredo Aceves says, if Beckett does have to miss time, he’ll make Beckett’s first two starts. And that of course means if Beckett is indeed placed on the disabled list to start the season that Mark Melancon will likely be the closer until Bailey returns.
This obviously not the start the Red Sox had envisioned for the 2012 season.
UPDATE: Beckett told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com in a text message that he expects to make his first start this Saturday.
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photo credit: AP Photo
