Zach

Penrod

Penrod experienced soreness after throwing a bullpen session earlier this week. While the MRI on his elbow revealed no structural damage, his manager acknowledged Saturday that Penrod is being shut down. Though surgery isn’t being considered at this time, the Red Sox figure to be cautious in his rehab, which could take months. The 27-year-old was slated to be part of Boston’s left-handed bullpen depth.

The 27-year-old southpaw was sent for an MRI exam — the results of which the team is still awaiting. It’s possible that the team fears that Penrod will be shelved for some time, which may have led to them going out and signing Matt Moore to a minor league deal on Thursday to add another left-handed arm to their bullpen mix. The team expects to know more on Penrod’s status on Friday.

Penrod gets the boot from the major-league roster with Quinn Priester brought up to start the season’s final game against the Rays. The 27-year-old will get a chance to battle for a spot in the Boston bullpen during spring training in 2025, assuming he’s still with the organization, of course.

Penrod was originally an undrafted free agent signed by the Rangers organization. The Red Sox gave him a minor league contract after a stint in the independent Pioneer League in 2023 and he finished the year in the Arizona Fall League. Penrod had a 4.16 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this year. The 27-year-old now finds himself on the verge of making his big league debut. Tyler Heineman was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

After signing with the Red Sox in August of this year out of the independent Pioneer League and posting a 2.18 ERA for High-A Greenville, Boston sent the 26-year-old to the Arizona Fall League. The left-hander has a five-pitch repertoire, but none are considered a wipeout offering. With his excellent three innings on Saturday, he lowered his ERA to 1.29, which is the best ERA for qualified starters in the Arizona Fall League. Penrod will have to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, and with these results, he is likely to be added.

The 26-year-old is quite a story. Less than two months ago, Boston signed him from the independent Pioneer League. After that, Penrod posted a 2.18 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 20 2/3 regular season innings for High-A Greenville. He was also the winning pitcher in the South Atlantic League championship clincher. On Monday, he struck out five and scattered one hit and two walks over four scoreless innings which lowered his AFL ERA to 1.13 through his first two starts. Penrod’s fastball was 93-95 mph with his slider ranging from 87-89 mph and a diving mid-80s changeup. He has a long way to go, but he would be a great story for the Red Sox.