Drew Pomeranz is a Bust for the Red Sox

It's time to admit that Drew Pomeranz is a bust for the Red Sox.

The lefty has yet to get past six innings this season. Moreover, in his last three outings, Pomeranz hasn’t lasted more than four innings.

It’s part of an ongoing pattern. Since joining the Red Sox last July, he has gotten an out in the seventh inning just twice in 21 starts.

This season, Pomeranz is 3-3 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP through eight starts. But the evidence of his failure to perform stretches back to last season, when Pomeranz went 3-5, with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP over 68.2 innings, for the Red Sox.

It will never be forgotten (and perhaps never forgiven) that the Red Sox surrendered their top pitching prospect, Anderson Espinoza, for Pomeranz. It was a steep price and one that has already proven to be far too costly.

Perhaps the failure of Pomeranz, who was an All Star last season with San Diego, is attributable to a bad left elbow, which the Padres were fully aware of prior to the trade.

San Diego withheld medical information about Pomeranz’s elbow from the Red Sox before the trade, which eventually became public knowledge.

Consequently, on September 16, 2016, Padres general manager A. J. Preller was suspended for 30 days for keeping two sets of medical records for players - one internal and one for league use.

The Red Sox worst fears may be materializing. Pomeranz, who received a stem cell injection in his left elbow during the offseason, began this season on the 10-day disabled list due to a left triceps ailment. Then he was recently pulled from a game after complaining about left triceps soreness.

Whatever the reason, the Red Sox can’t trust Pomeranz when he takes the mound. He puts too much pressure on the bullpen because he can’t get past the sixth inning, or sometimes even the fourth.

With an ERA approaching 5.00, Pomeranz barely qualifies for fifth-starter status in Boston, a high-payroll team with very clear playoff expectations.

No one should be surprised if Pomeranz’s season is derailed by his elbow troubles, and surgery remains a possibility, if not a likely outcome.

The Red Sox were given the chance to rescind the trade last season, when Preller’s devious dealing was revealed. But the Red Sox, who were in the playoff hunt, declined the offer since the trade deadline had already passed, leaving them with no other options. Boston just crossed its fingers and hoped for the best.

At this point, Dave Dombrowski and company would certainly like a do-over.