A former Boston Red Sox farmhand reportedly won’t be ready to start the 2026 season with his new team.
Brandon Clarke underwent surgery to repair an aneurysm in his left throwing shoulder, per The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton. The 22-year-old pitcher is expected to be sidelined until June.
The Red Sox selected Clarke in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He quickly shot up prospect rankings by brandishing a triple-digit heater that helped him register 60 strikeouts in 38 minor-league innings last season.
Boston moved him for an immediate rotation boost, sending Clark to the St. Louis Cardinals as the headliner of a deal for Sonny Gray. The 36-year-old joins Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and fellow offseason acquisitions Ranger Suárez and Johan Oviedo in a potentially top-tier grouping.
Meanwhile, Clark’s injury is a troubling setback given his history. Clark underwent Tommy John surgery as a high schooler in 2019 and surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in 2022. The Alabama recruit instead pitched for the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, where a shoulder stress fracture halted his 2023 campaign.
A healthy Clarke flashed tantalizing upside at Single-A Salem and High-A Greenville, but he also issued 27 walks and hit 12 batters in 14 abbreviated starts. While the 6-foot-4 southpaw has breakout potential, the risk may have made the Red Sox more comfortable exchanging him for Gray, especially with Payton Tolle and Connelly Early still giving the organization two significant short- and long-term pitching prospects.
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