FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Ryan Brasier subtly became perhaps the best Red Sox reliever in 2020.
For the season's final 1 1/2 months, dating back to Aug. 16, the righty turned in a 1.89 ERA and .192 opponent batting average in his final 18 appearances. It was why he was champing at the bit to get into 2021, hoping to become a big part of the solution for Alex Cora and Co.
But then came the day before Thanksgiving.
“Just working out I had a little accident at the place I work out,” Brasier told WEEI.com Tuesday night. “I hit it on the corner of a wall doing some shoulder stuff.”
He immediately went to a nearby doctor who gave him the news: Brasier had fractured the fifth metacarpal on his throwing hand. That’s when the anxiety truly started kicking in, a feeling that the pitcher was forced to live with right through the holiday.
“Obviously, I was freaked out,” he said. “I saw a doctor at home that afternoon and he told me it was broken and I couldn’t get in to see any hand specialists for a couple of days because of Thanksgiving. The biggest relief was when they told me I didn’t have to have surgery. All I had to do was wear a splint for a few weeks, tape it and work through some of the early pain of throwing. But I feel good now.”
Four months later, Brasier finds himself throwing again. But the path to his fourth season with the Red Sox still hasn’t gone as planned.
The reliever still hasn’t appeared in a Grapefruit League game, relegated to throwing bullpens with the prospect of facing hitters at some point this week. The delay has been a combination of healing after the hand injury, and then having to return back to his Texas home for two weeks due to a personal matter, during which time Brasier wasn’t able to continue a throwing program that had gained steam after moving to Florida in January.
“I had already been throwing when (the fracture) happened so I lost about a month of the offseason of throwing and got out to Florida early to start throwing bullpens and then I had to go home,” he explained. “Just trying to play a little catch-up and making sure I’m really ready to go instead of trying to hurry and end up not as sharp as I want to be.”
As for his availability on April 1, it would seem unlikely Brasier’s timetable could allow for such path. But he’s not concerned. The worst would seem to in the rear-view.
“I don’t know for 100 percent sure what’s going to happen,” he said. “I’m just doing the throwing program that (pitching coach Dave) Bush and everyone put together. Hand feels good. Just trying to get right as quick as I can.
“I’m doing good. I wish I would have been a little quicker but I think the throwing program they have mapped out, the amount of bullpens, hitters and innings I’m going to get is going to put me right where I need to be. Whether that is Opening Day or whatever it is, I’m hoping to be feeling good.”