Pitcher David Price has been diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

By Bill Koch Providence Journal

NEW YORK -- All things considered, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was somewhat relieved while discussing David Price on Wednesday afternoon.

The left-handed pitcher is expected to arrive at Yankee Stadium sometime Thursday after returning to Boston for a battery of medical tests. Red Sox staff members diagnosed the recurring numbness in his pitching hand as a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

“He’ll play catch,” Cora said. “Hopefully he throws a bullpen and then, after that, we’ll make a decision.”

Price experienced what he described as a sensation in his throwing hand in his April 11 start against the Yankees at Fenway Park. He was shelled over one inning, allowing four earned runs in a 10-7 loss. Price had the same feeling during a regular bullpen session on Sunday in Texas, and this time the cold temperatures thought to be the cause the first time around couldn’t have been a factor.

“As soon as we found out we had to make sure he went through the tests and tried to find out what was going on,” Cora said. “Now we know and we’re going to attack the problem the way we feel we should attack it and get him ready to compete at the big league level.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm. Its usual cause is a compressed nerve on the palm side of the hand. Personal anatomy and repetitive hand motions are contributing factors.

“We’ll map out the plan,” Cora said. “Sometimes it’s ice. Sometimes it’s massage. Sometimes it’s laser. We’ll see what works for him.”

Cora refused to rule out any course of action involving Price over the next few days. He’s yet to be officially scratched from what would be a Saturday start at Toronto. Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez would be the likely candidates to take the ball should Price not be able to go.

“If we feel that he can make his next start, he’ll make it,” Cora said. “If not then we’ll make a decision. As you guys know we’ve been trying to take care of these guys from the get-go. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

Surgery for top farm hurler: The news wasn’t as good for the top pitching prospect in the Red Sox farm system.

Boston announced prior to Wednesday’s game against the Yankees left-hander Jay Groome will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery in Los Angeles next week.

Groome, 19, had yet to pitch in a game this season. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2016 draft threw 55.1 innings across 14 starts in his first full professional year in 2017, allowing 49 hits and striking out 72.

Groome was shut down last August due to a forearm strain and opened this season on the disabled list due to a flexor strain. Dr. Neal El Attrache, who performed reconstructive left knee surgery on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in 2008, will operate on Groome on Tuesday at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute.

Out of order: Cora took note of an embarrassing situation involving fellow rookie manager Mickey Callaway on Wednesday, saying he harbors some of the same fears.

The Mets batted out of order in the first inning of a 2-1, extra-inning loss at the Reds. Asdrubal Cabrera was listed ahead of Wilmer Flores on the hand-written lineup copy provided to the umpiring crew pregame, but Flores struck out ahead of a Cabrera double instead. Cincinnati interim manager Jim Riggelman immediately alerted the umpires, and they declared New York’s next batter, Jay Bruce, out to end the inning.

“There’s a lot of checking, a lot of checkpoints, with that one,” Cora said. “That’s something that I have nightmares thinking about.”