Josh Beckett scratched again, will visit Dr. James Andrews

Josh Beckett scratched again, will visit Dr. James Andrews
August 29
Boston Herald


"The Red Sox continue to preach the positive, but as they continue toward the postseason, the man who led them to their most recent title will be in Alabama today undergoing tests on his worrisome right elbow.

Following yesterday’s 3-2 loss at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein announced that ace Josh Beckett had been scratched from his scheduled start tonight against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Beckett instead will visit renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., to get a second opinion on the elbow problem that has troubled him throughout the season.

Though the Sox have not specified the nature of Beckett’s ailment, recent indications suggest the right-hander has been dealing with irritation or inflammation of the ulnar nerve, which can cause numbness in the pinky and part of the ring finger. The problem can be treated in a non-invasive manner or through surgery, the latter of which requires the nerve to be moved or “transposed” from its existing place in the ulna.

To date, there has been no indication that Beckett needs surgery, and Epstein yesterday said the Sox “were pretty convinced this thing is getting better.” Still, this is the third time Beckett has been scratched from a scheduled start since allowing eight runs in 2 innings of a 15-4 Sox loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 17.

“He’s not quite 100 percent. As much for his peace of mind as anything, he’s going to go see Dr. Andrews (today),” Epstein said. “It’s just the way it’s feeling. It’s not quite 100 percent. We don’t want to put any pitcher in a position where he’s not 100 percent.”

While Epstein indicated that the numbness or “tingling” Beckett had been experiencing in his right pinky and ring finger “has pretty much subsided,” the pitcher clearly has not been at ease with the feeling in his hand. Beckett has seemed far more concerned than the Sox throughout the last two weeks, and he has made a point of stating that the problem existed before Aug. 17, though the symptoms had not been as acute."





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