BOSTON — Anthony Varvaro is back. Kind of.
Varvaro was returned to the Red Sox before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park. The right-handed reliever was placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to April 29) with a right flexor strain and is scheduled to undergo surgery this week.
Varvaro was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on April 29. He subsequently was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs on May 3 but didn’t appear in a single game with his new club.
The 30-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the 2015 season because of his injury, which could sideline him for roughly six months, though it could have been worse.
“I was worried I might need another Tommy John surgery,” Varvaro told SILive.com on Saturday. “That’s not the case. This is the best possible outcome.”
As a result of Varvaro’s medical condition on the date of his outright assignment to the Cubs, the severity of which was unknown to the Red Sox at the time of the assignment, both clubs agreed that it would be appropriate to return Varvaro to Boston for placement on the DL in accordance with MLB rules.
The Red Sox acquired Varvaro in an offseason trade with the Atlanta Braves. He posted a 4.09 ERA in nine appearances spanning 11 innings with Boston.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
