Red Sox rotation hit with big blow as Nick Pivetta lands on 15-day IL with elbow strain

BOSTON -- The Red Sox rotation has been a pleasant surprise so far this season, but it took a big hit on Tuesday ahead of Boston's home opener at Fenway Park. A few hours before first pitch, the Red Sox announced that No. 2 starter Nick Pivetta had landed on the 15-day Injured List with a right elbow flexor strain. 

It's a huge loss for the Boston rotation, as Pivetta is a reliable workhorse who can eat up a bunch of innings and get a lot of outs. The 31-year-old had been lights out over his first two starts of the season, tossing 11 innings of one-run ball for the Red Sox. 

Pivetta was tagged with a tough-luck loss in Boston's 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Mariners in the second game of the season, before going out and throwing five scoreless innings against the Athletics in Oakland last Wednesday. Through his first two starts, Pivetta had surrendered just eight hits and issued just one walk. His 0.82 WHIP ranked second on the team, behind only Tanner Houck and his 0.74 WHIP through two starts.

Now the Sox will have to fill the void behind Brayan Bello in the rotation while Pivetta is on the mend. There was no timetable given for the righty's return, but a flexor strain sounds fairly ominous.  

Left-handed reliever Brennan Bernardino was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to take Pivetta's spot on the Boston roster, but the Red Sox now have to fill his turn in the rotation. Pivetta's next turn up will come up Wednesday night against Baltimore, though Alex Cora could opt to bump up Kutter Crawford, who would be on his regular rest thanks to Monday's off day. 

As for further down the road, veteran Chase Anderson, 36, and his 3.00 ERA over six innings this season could get a bump into the rotation from the Sox bullpen. And 27-year-old righty Cooper Criswell has allowed just one run over his 10.1 innings in two starts for the Worcester Red Sox, and could get called up to join the Boston rotation.

But this is not good news for the 7-3 Red Sox right ahead of the team's home opener. Their depth at starting pitching was already being tested after losing Lucas Giolito in the spring, and now it will be further tested less than two weeks into the new season.