Red Sox lefty Drew Pomeranz dealt with elbow discomfort last season

Drew Pomeranz received a stem-cell shot in his left elbow to alleviate discomfort he battled through after being traded to the Boston Red Sox last season.

The mid-season trade that brought Drew Pomeranz to town certainly didn’t go as well as the Boston Red Sox expected.

The lefty was in the midst of a breakout season at the time, but what we witnessed from him on the mound during his time in Boston was a far cry from the performance that earned him a spot on the National League All-Star squad.

If Pomeranz didn’t seem to be 100 percent down the stretch it’s because he wasn’t. The left-hander admitted over the weekend that he dealt with some minor elbow discomfort, which may have been a factor in his performance falling short of expectations.

“I had some minor discomfort that was slowing me down a little bit, more so toward the end of my outings,” said Pomeranz, per the Providence Journal. “Everybody deals with a little bit of something during the year. I just had to fight through it to get to the end of the season.”

Pomeranz may be brushing off the issue a bit, but mention of the discomfort affecting him more the deep he went into games is notable. After being acquired from San Diego in July, Pomeranz pitched more than six innings only twice over his final 13 starts before moving to the bullpen in October.

After bouncing back from a rocky introduction to the American League, Pomeranz settled down to rip off a solid streak in August, going 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA that month. That stretch proved that he was capable of pitching in Boston, but unfortunately the improved results wouldn’t last.

Pomeranz struggled down the stretch, allowing 12 earned runs over 17 2/3 innings in September. He showed some potential as a long reliever, striking out seven batters in 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen before coughing up a critical two-run homer to Coco Crisp in Game 3 of the ALDS, ending Boston’s season.

His brief run in a Red Sox uniform didn’t exactly make the best first impression, but there is reason for optimism heading into 2017. For one thing, it can’t be overlooked that Pomeranz had already exceeded his career-high workload before he even got to Boston, which potentially contributed to the elbow discomfort that derailed his season.

Pomeranz received a stem-cell shot after the season to help expedite the healing process in his elbow. The procedure involved taking bone marrow from his hip and injecting it into his elbow. With a few months off to rest, Pomeranz says he’s feeling great and is ready for the upcoming season.

Spring training will pit Pomeranz with a battle with Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez for the final two rotation spots. Heading into camp without a guaranteed spot as a starter is familiar territory for Pomeranz, but he enjoys the competition and feels it gives him the edge he needs to succeed. He doesn’t want to get too comfortable, which won’t be a problem given the competition to join Boston’s star-studded rotation.

A healthy Pomeranz will get the opportunity to get back on track to silence the doubters that view trading for him as a mistake. If he resembles the pitcher we saw on the mound during the first half of the season with the Padres, the Red Sox could have another co-ace to add to their collection.