BALTIMORE — The Red Sox limited left-hander Kyle Harrison to three innings and 38 pitches in his start for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. This decision keeps him available as an option to pitch for Boston on Saturday.
“Everyone’s in play,” manager Alex Cora said before Boston’s game against the Orioles on Wednesday.
The Red Sox are willing to promote Harrison for Saturday’s game if they decide he’s the best choice, even though he would be pitching on short rest. Boston acquired the 24-year-old from the Giants in the Rafael Devers trade June 15. He has spent his entire time in the organization so far at Worcester, meaning an appearance Saturday would be his Boston debut.
Harrison has a 3.65 ERA in 11 starts for the WooSox, including a 2.35 ERA in five starts in August.
Boston needs a starter for Saturday’s game against the Pirates after demoting Walker Buehler to the bullpen and placing Richard Fitts on the injured list.
Dustin May’s turn in the rotation is on Friday, but the Red Sox haven’t confirmed if he will start that night. They could push him back to Saturday and use either top pitching prospect Payton Tolle or Tyler Uberstine on Friday.
“We’re still juggling a lot of things,” Cora said.
Tolle — a 22-year-old lefty who Baseball America ranks No. 40 on its Top 100 list — is scheduled to pitch for the WooSox on Friday. The current plan is for the lefty to either start or piggyback after lefty Shane Drohan. That plan could change, however, making him an option against the Pirates for either Friday or Saturday.
Uberstine, who is scheduled to pitch Saturday for the WooSox, also would be available for Boston on extra rest either Friday or Saturday.
Harrison is likely the leading candidate while Uberstine seems like the least likely of the three.
As with Tolle, the Red Sox would need to add Uberstine to the 40-man roster if they decide to give him a spot start Friday or Saturday. The 26-year-old has a 3.70 ERA in 21 outings (17 starts) for the WooSox. He’s overcome significant odds in his career after pitching seven innings as a high school senior and receiving no college scholarship offers.
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