The last thing the Red Sox need is a major shoulder injury to a starting pitcher.
Joe Kelly, who had won his previous eight starts, didn't get a chance to go for No. 9 in Baltimore Tuesday night, coming out of the game in the third inning with what Kelly described as a "tight" shoulder.
It was obvious from the beginning of the game that Kelly's velocity wasn't as sharp. Ordinarily, he throws in the mid-to-high 90s, but Tuesday night, he was registering in the high 80s and low 90s -- even if the final pitch he threw was 94 mph.
The Sox plan to evaluate Kelly further in the coming days and discuss a plan going forward.
It would be tough to have Kelly's momentum halted, just as it seems that he's begun to figure things out as a starter. Kelly's ERA in the previous seven starts before Tuesday was a tidy 1.85, as he learned to better mix his secondary pitches in with his electric fastball.
If Kelly is just dealing with fatigue, then it makes sense to shut him down like Tazawa for the remainder of the year. The Sox have begun to see what he's capable of as a starter, but risking his health for a team long out of contention is non-sensical.