Red Sox Facing New Concern as Top Prospect Juan Valera Sent for MRI

The Boston Red Sox flamethrower needs to undergo an MRI to see what's going on with his elbow.

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

It has been a roller coaster of a week for Boston Red Sox No. 5 prospect Juan Valera.

Valera left his most recent start for High-A Greenville on April 16 with an elbow injury. On Sunday, things took a positive turn as Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH reported that the expectation was that Valera would not need to undergo an MRI or X-Ray on his elbow, despite inflammation. On Tuesday, things shifted again. Alexander reported on X that Valera will in fact undergo an MRI, although the current expectation is that the young flamethrower does not need surgery.

"Update on Juan Valera: He is flying to Boston for an MRI, a league source tells [7News Boston WHDH]," Alexander wrote on X. "The expectation continues to be that he would not need surgery, but they’ll get some imaging. The plan is for Valera to rehab in Fort Myers, I’m told."

The Red Sox Flamethrower Is Down For The Count

Apr 29, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Red Sox logo and a field bag during batting practice before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

So, to sum up, Valera went from exiting his start early, seemingly not needing to undergo any imaging on his elbow, to just a few days later actually needing to go in for an MRI. It's certainly not what you want to hear if you're a Red Sox fan. Valera has turned his with a blistering 101.7 miles per hour fastball at just 19 years old. He may not have much of a pathway to the big leagues at this moment, but late in the 2026 season or at some point in 2027, things could change.

Any time you hear about an elbow injury that needs an MRI, it strikes fear in fans around the league. It's good to know that Alexander reported that the expectation is that Valera isn't dealing with a serious injury that will require surgery.

But now we have to wait for the results of the MRI to truly know what is going on. In a perfect world, there's just a bit of soreness and he's alright over the next few days or a few weeks. The worst-case scenario, of course, would be finding something that actually does require surgery, even if the current expectation is that he won't need anything like that.

We should know more in the coming days. Alexander noted that Valera is coming to Boston for the MRI. With that being said, we very well could learn more before the end of the week.