Injury To Red Sox Reliever Prevented Him From Pitching Vs. Angels

It made all the sense for Chris Martin to pitch in the eighth inning with the Boston Red Sox holding a narrow late-game lead Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels and trying to get to closer Kenley Jansen.

Alex Cora put Marin in that situation countless times last season and he delivered. But this time, the Red Sox manager stayed away from the veteran set-up man.

Cora had a good reason to not put Martin on the mound as Cora revealed the 37-year-old reliever is nursing a bothersome left shoulder injury.

“The last few days he’s been dealing with it,” Cora told reporters following Boston’s 5-4 win at Fenway Park. “We’ll see how he wakes up tomorrow, how he feels. We have to make sure this is right for the mechanics to be right. You don’t want him to hurt his right shoulder because he can not get to the point where he wants to go.”

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Cora instead stuck with Justin Slaten to bridge the gap to Jansen. Slaten did his part over 2 2/3 innings of work and continues to impress out of the bullpen in his first MLB season.

Martin, who owned a microscopic 1.05 ERA in 55 appearances last season, had his worst showing in a Red Sox uniform Wednesday. The Baltimore Orioles touched up the 6-foot-8 righty for four runs — three of which were earned — on two hits and one walk in one inning.

Martin hasn’t pitched since that outing and the Red Sox plan to be cautious when it comes to putting him back out there.

“Just felt it during the week,” Cora said. “He said it’s been going on and off for his whole career kind of — he jokes around like that. But it’s been bothering him the last few days and we have to be smart about it.”