Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Zack Kelly suffered an apparent arm injury, which left the right-hander walking off the field in agonizing pain during Wednesday night’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Kelly took the hill following Chris Sale’s four innings of work. And after setting down two Rays hitters, then allowing back-to-back base hits, Kelly struck Yandy DÃaz in the fifth inning with an 81 mph changeup and quickly went down on the mound, covering his face.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, alongside a team trainer, rushed to Kelly, who clenched his right arm. Kelly was noticeably emotional, fighting back tears when assisted off the field to Boston’s dugout.
It was revealed during NESN’s live broadcast that Kelly’s exit was due to right elbow pain.
Kelly, a former undrafted free agent, had made five previous appearances this season for the Red Sox, recording a 1.35 ERA in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
Last season, Kelly served as a more than serviceable bullpen option during the final stretch of the campaign. The 28-year-old notched a 2.53 ERA in 10 contests in the month of August, including eight scoreless appearances.
No word on the extent of Kelly’s still-unknown injury after the Red Sox trailed the Rays, 8-4, after six innings at Tropicana Field.
