NEW YORK -- When the Boston Red Sox acquired Drew Pomeranz in July for their top pitching prospect, they imagined him starting meaningful games down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Instead, it's possible Pomeranz won't pitch at all in October.
Pomeranz will miss his scheduled start Thursday night at Yankee Stadium in part because of soreness in his left forearm, Red Sox manager John Farrell announced Tuesday before the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees. Farrell said Pomeranz "is not shut down," but noted the lefty will pitch exclusively out of the bullpen if he returns at all and was noncommittal about whether he will be on the postseason roster.
"We need to get him on the mound, hopefully by the end of the week, to determine a bullpen role going forward," Farrell said. "If he were to pitch again, yes, he would pitch out of the bullpen."
Farrell was vague about the nature of Pomeranz's injury other than to say "he came out of his last start [Saturday night at Tampa Bay] a little more sore." Neither Farrell nor other team officials would say whether the issue is related to the Red Sox's complaints to the commissioner's office about the San Diego Padres withholding medical records prior to the completion of the trade in July.
Major League Baseball suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 days without pay for failing to disclose information about Pomeranz, but the Red Sox didn't receive compensation. Boston sent Class A pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza to San Diego in exchange for Pomeranz.
The Red Sox were already closely monitoring Pomeranz's workload because he has logged 169 1/3 innings, a single-season career high. Pomeranz has pitched only 10 2/3 innings in his past three starts, including five innings last weekend at Tampa Bay.
Pomeranz is 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA in 67 1/3 innings over 13 starts for the Red Sox. He went 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA in 102 innings over 17 starts for the Padres.
Left-hander Henry Owens will start in Pomeranz's place Thursday night against the Yankees.