Red Sox right-hander John Lackey recently had his right elbow examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in California, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Bradford cited "multiple industry sources" for the report. One of the sources said the Red Sox expect a "final resolution" soon after receiving results of the exam. The worst-case scenario for Lackey, who spent time on the disabled list last season because of elbow problems, is Tommy John surgery, which would sideline him for 18 months.
Bradford reported that language in Lackey's contract would enable the Sox to realize nearly 3 million a year in luxury-tax relief if the right-hander undergoes Tommy John surgery. A season-ending operation triggers a sixth season in Lackey's contract for the major-league minimum salary, which is currently 414,000. That would reduce the annual value of Lackey's deal from 16.5 million to approximately 13.8 million.