Red Sox Place Michael Wacha On Injured List As Connor Seabold Arrives

The Boston Red Sox placed pitcher Michael Wacha on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation before Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

The move, which was expected, is retroactive to July 5.

The Red Sox simultaneously recalled right-hander Connor Seabold from Triple-A Worcester. Seabold will start Friday against New York as Boston looks to bounce back from a 6-5 loss in Thursday’s series opener.

Wacha last pitched on June 28, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks across five innings. He had been slated to pitch Monday but was scratched from that start. Red Sox manager Alex Cora then revealed Thursday Wacha would be scratched Friday, as well, and the right-hander’s arm issue likely would require an IL stint.

The Red Sox have dealt with various injuries to the rotation this season. Nathan Eovaldi, Garrett Whitlock and Rich Hill currently are on the IL. So, too, are Chris Sale and James Paxton, who have yet to pitch for Boston this season while recovering from a fractured rib and Tommy John surgery, respectively.

Wacha, who signed with Boston as a free agent over the offseason, is 6-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 13 starts. He spent seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before making stops with the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays en route to joining the Red Sox.

Seabold, acquired before the MLB trade deadline in 2020, has made three career major league starts, including two this season. The 26-year-old is Boston’s No. 14 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.