A few hopeful baseball fans try to wait out a rain delay at Fenway Park on Wednesday as the Red Sox and Yankees wait out a storm in Boston. Steven Senne/Associated Press
The rain keeps falling on the Boston Red Sox, and Wednesday’s game was the latest victim.
The Red Sox and Yankees had their game postponed and will make it up with a doubleheader on Thursday.
The postponed game continues an all-time bad week of weather for the Red Sox. Saturday’s game against the Orioles started late due to rain and Sunday’s game was delayed twice (pregame and in the eighth inning). Monday’s game was postponed, forcing a doubleheader Tuesday.
The Red Sox took another big hit on Wednesday when closer Kenley Jansen tested positive for coronavirus. He will go on the COVID-related injured list, Manager Alex Cora announced. The Red Sox recalled left-hander Brandon Walter to fill his spot on the active roster.
The veteran closer hadn’t pitched in six days when he took the mound for the ninth inning on Tuesday night. He ended up only facing two batters – giving up a leadoff walk to Oswaldo Cabrera and a single to Everson Pereira – before Cora and a trainer came out to collect him.
The Red Sox announced that he’d been removed with “fatigue and illness symptoms.” The veteran closer had been feeling under the weather and dealing with a lingering hamstring issue. Earlier in the week, he was seen wearing a mask in the clubhouse.
Under this season’s Covid protocol, Jansen must remain on the list for at least seven days. Jansen was Boston’s lone All-Star this season and their first true closer in several years. He owns a 3.63 ERA across 51 games, including 42 finished, and has converted 29 saves.
How will the Red Sox manage without him?
“We’ll see how it goes,” Cora said. “Mix and match.”
CORA SAID Corey Kluber “felt good” after his Tuesday evening rehab appearance, his second with Triple-A Worcester. The veteran hurler tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings in the WooSox’s 10-2 win over the Syracuse Mets, throwing 35 pitches (23 strikes). He allowed a leadoff single, then retired seven of the next nine batters faced.
Kluber has been out since June 20 with shoulder inflammation. Could he rejoin the team in the coming days?
“We’ll see what’s next,” Cora said.
Zack Kelly (shoulder surgery) made a rehab appearance for Double-A Portland on Wednesday evening. The rookie right-hander needed 24 pitches (14 strikes) to get through his two-inning start, which included a 1-2-3 first inning. He gave up a two-out solo home run in the second frame before striking out the last batter. He’s scheduled for another two-inning outing with them on Friday.
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