FORT MYERS, Fla. –– The competition for the fifth spot in the Red Sox rotation has been reduced.
Carlos Silva, who was originally scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Blue Jays, is battling shoulder inflammation, Bobby Valentine revealed Tuesday. It shortens the rotation competition to Felix Doubront, Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook, Andrew Miller and Alfredo Aceves.
"Silva has some shoulder inflammation that's probably going to set him back that he won't be totally in the mix," Valentine said Tuesday. "Long enough to keep him out of the big pitcher's situation."
"We knew about [the preexisting shoulder injury] and it flared up. I think we know exactly what it is and we were hoping it wouldn't present itself as quickly as it did."
The shoulder injury plagued Silva last season when he pitched in the Yankees farm system. It ultimately led to his release in July.
The Venezuelan native hasn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 7, 2010, when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.
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