Jay Groome just can’t catch a break.
The 22-year-old, still considered one of the top pitching prospects in the Red Sox farm system, exited his start for the Single-A Greenville Drive on Tuesday after taking a line drive off his right leg. He is considered day-to-day, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
Groome gave up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 2 1/3 innings before being helped off the field.
It’s been a bumpy road for Groome since Boston selected him with the 12th overall pick in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.
He impressed over a small sample size in 2016 but struggled and battled injuries throughout the 2017 season. Groome missed all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery before returning late in the 2019 campaign. He, like most minor leaguers, saw his 2020 season wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And, now, Groome is sidelined with an injury after posting an 18.69 ERA over two starts (4 1/3 innings). His development remains in search of anything resembling consistency.
Hopefully, Groome’s absence only is temporary and he can return to the mound in the near future. There was optimism entering the season that Groome perhaps could finish the year in Double-A, but he obviously has a lot of work to do — and now an injury to overcome — before earning a promotion.
