The injury bug continues to bite the Boston Red Sox.
Right-hander Garrett Whitlock was pulled from Tuesday's start against the Cleveland Guardians after 54 pitches with what the team announced as left oblique tightness. He pitched four innings before the injury, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one.
The severity of Whitlock's injury is currently unknown.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The silver lining is it isn't an arm injury. Whitlock missed 27 games early last season with right elbow ulnar neuritis and another 32 games later in the campaign due to right elbow inflammation. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019.
Whitlock was replaced on the mound by left-hander Joely Rodriguez, who allowed a home run and three singles for two earned runs.
The Red Sox rotation is already short-handed without veteran righty Nick Pivetta. He remains on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow flexor strain.