Always keep your receipt
An All-Star in 2016 with the San Diego Padres, Drew Pomeranz was traded to the Boston Red Sox for highly touted pitching prospect in Anderson Espinoza (ranked #14 pitching prospect in baseball). In 2016, the Padres/Red Sox pitcher started 30 games while posting a 3.32 ERA and an 11-12 record.
Questions were raised about Pomeranz with the high number of innings in 2016, being previous years he hadn't come close to the amount he was progressing towards. Before the 2016 postseason, Pomeranz was scratched from his start and many questioned whether he would he be ready for the playoffs.
Shortly after the trade to Boston, investigations into the Padres organization revealed the team had two sets of medical records, essentially internal and external. Interestingly enough, MLB gave the Red Sox the option to take back the trade due to the circumstances, however the Red Sox declined and kept Pomeranz. Results of the investigation led to Padres GM AJ Preller being suspended for 30 days, and both teams kept the players they received in the trade.
The availability of Pomeranz has already come into question for the opening day roster when he was placed on the 10 day disabled list. After the move, it was believed Pomeranz was placed on the DL in the interest of roster moves, and would not miss any starts to begin the season. The team control of Pomeranz moving forward and his age of 27 were believed to be contributing factors to Boston wanting to keep the south paw pitcher. In 2017, he hopes to return to his recent success in 2016, when he struck out 186 batters in 170 innings pitched.
The Red Sox rotation has many question marks leading into the 2017 season. Can Chris Sale and Rick Porcello have continues success in Boston? Can David Price continue to rehab after avoiding serious injury and surgery and be a top of the rotation starter? Can Stephen Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez find consistency and be key factors in the Red Sox rotation? All these questions make Pomeranz and his health an important piece for Bostons success this year. It remains to be seen if the Red Sox should have kept their receipt when they traded for the lefty.