Boston Red Sox pitcher Zach Penrod has undergone an MRI to examine soreness in his elbow, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive on Twitter.
Everything is on hold at the moment, though. According to Rob Bradford of WEEI, the Red Sox have already made a move, adding reliever Matt Moore to bring another lefty arm to camp — it seems Boston is covering its bases. Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t seem optimistic about Penrod’s condition as he delivered the news during his daily media availability on Feb. 20, and Chris Cotillo of MassLive confirmed the grim sentiments around the organization.
Cora initially hoped to share Penrod’s MRI results on Feb. 21, but the team didn’t have an update before its first spring training game of the season. Smith reported that the Sox will know more about the lefty’s condition on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Penrod worked his way to the majors last season thanks to a ridiculous run in Double-A. The left-handed starter converted to a reliever towards the end of his time in Triple-A and made seven appearances out of the bullpen for the Red Sox in 2024. Penrod allowed one earned run over four innings. He walked four batters and struck out three, picking up two holds.
Red Sox lefty reliever Zach Penrod dealing with elbow soreness
The Red Sox added a few left-handed relievers in Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson this offseason. Meanwhile, Brennan Bernardino is still on the roster, and Chris Murphy could return from injury soon.
With all those players in the mix, Boston isn’t in desperate need of left-handed relief help. However, Penrod’s electric fastball makes him a legitimate option to carve out a role. He could also return to the rotation and become a starter again if his scans come back clear.
Penrod played in an Independent baseball league in 2023. Barely a year later, he had worked his way onto a Major League roster. That has to be one of the quickest “rags to riches” stories in recent MLB history.
The 2025 season was gearing up to be a big step in Penrod’s career. Hopefully, this is just a minor setback, and he can continue his incredible story soon enough.
