BOSTON — Blake Swihart was able to walk off the field under his own power Saturday, but he won’t be doing much walking in the near future.
The Red Sox left fielder/catcher saw a foot specialist Sunday and was diagnosed with a severe left ankle sprain, manager John Farrell said after Boston’s 5-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
“He’s going to be immobilized for two weeks,” Farrell said. “We’ll re-evaluate at that point to see what the next steps are.”
Swihart suffered the injury Saturday running into the side wall in left field while trying to catch a fly ball. His left foot jammed hard against the concrete base of the wall, causing him to collapse in pain. He initially needed help walking but was able to reach Boston’s dugout under his own power.
The team recalled outfielder Rusney Castillo from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday, but Farrell confirmed Chris Young will receive the majority of starts in left field in Swihart’s absence with Brock Holt still sidelined with a concussion. Young was a lone offensive bright spot Sunday, going 2-for-4 and breaking up Marco Estrada’s no-hit bid with a solo homer in the eighth inning.
Ryan Hanigan, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday along with Swihart, had an MRI on his neck before Sunday’s game that revealed some “inflammation” in the area, according to Farrell. The veteran catcher will stay in Boston to receive treatment while the team travels to San Francisco for a two-game set with the Giants.
With both Swihart and Hanigan out for the foreseeable future, the Red Sox will rely on starting catcher Christian Vazquez and backup Sandy Leon, who also was recalled from Triple-A on Sunday.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
