The Boston Red Sox bullpen has been stumbling for some time now, but they will be getting some much-anticipated relief Thursday.
Heath Hembree, who has been on the injured list since June 14 (retroactive to June 11) due to a elbow extensor strain in his pitching arm, was activated from the IL Thursday morning, the team announced.
Trevor Kelly was returned to Triple-A Pawtucket as a result. The sidearm hurler made his big league debut in Tuesday’s series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Hembree has proven to be a pretty stable arm in the Red Sox bullpen. Beginning last season, he became increasingly proficient at coming in with runners on base and escaping jams. The 30-year-old did make one rehab appearance while on the IL, striking out a pair in a scoreless frame with the PawSox on Tuesday.
Over his last 17 1/3 big league innings, Hembree has allowed just one earned run — a streak that spans 20 outings dating back to April 25. He’s allowed no runs altogether in his last nine appearances and no hits over his last five.
The Red Sox lead the American League in blown saves, so getting someone back like Hembree, who thrives in high-leverage situations, should provide a big boost.
