Boston Red Sox Key Reliever Shut Down Amid Elbow Issues

The Boston Red Sox have one of the best pitching staffs in the league. Their starting rotation has been excellent, but their bullpen has been even better. The Red Sox are second in bullpen ERA at 3.14, just behind the New York Yankees. With the regular season winding down, a key flamethrowing piece of that bullpen has been shut down indefinitely. According to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald, reliever Justin Slaten has been shut down with right elbow inflammation. Slaten has not pitched in a game since August 12 and will now seemingly be out for at least the remainder of the 2026 season. What Is Going on With Justin Slaten of the Boston Red Sox? Boston has been without Slaten for almost a month due to right elbow inflammation. On Monday, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that while Slaten had been throwing, he has been shut down because the same 'symptoms' that landed him on the Injured List in the first place have returned. 'Chad Tracy said Justin Slaten began throwing, and things were 'going well,' but then some of [the] same symptoms that prompted the IL stint returned, so the Red Sox shut him down again,' Starr wrote. The Texas Rangers selected Slaten in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of New Mexico. In 2023, the New York Mets drafted Slaten in the Rule 5 Draft. The Mets would then trade Slaten to Boston for a minor leaguer. Slaten made his major league debut in 2024, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 44 games (55.1 innings). Before landing on the Injured List, Slaten had a 4.60 ERA in 36 appearances during the 2026 season. While his ERA doesn't sound great, Slaten was one of the Red Sox's key high-leverage options. And he was really starting to find his groove before this latest injury popped up. Slaten logged a 2.77 ERA in his last 15 games before the injury. What Does This Mean? Any time a pitcher is dealing with an elbow issue, it's concerning. For the Red Sox, the best-case scenario would be Slaten getting healthy and getting back on the hill before the regular season comes to an end. However, that may be wishful thinking. The Red Sox should baby this injury, with two key pieces coming back from injuries of their own. The Red Sox have two pitchers working their way back who will be key for the bullpen down the stretch. Those pitchers are Tanner Houck and Garrett Crochet. Houck is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Tuesday. The 2024 All-Star has not pitched since early 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Crochet threw his first bullpen on Friday. The expectation is that he'll throw another bullpen on Tuesday. Obviously, Crochet has functioned as a starter since 2024, but has not pitched in a game since April 25. Since he would need more time to ramp up to be a starter, Crochet will likely function as a reliever down the stretch and in the postseason. He has the stuff for the bullpen and the experience, so it shouldn't be that much of a culture shock. Regardless, Slaten's injury is tough, but not devastating for Boston.