After nine games back with the Red Sox, Jacoby Ellsbury is returning to the disabled list — and this time, it may be for good.
Ellsbury reinjured his problematic rib area, which had sidelined him twice before for a total of 95 games this season, after colliding with pitcher Tommy Hunter against the Rangers on Friday. He was placed on the 15-day DL.
The centerfielder flew to Boston on Saturday morning for a CT scan, and the results weren’t promising. Manager Terry Francona said there are indications of new trauma and perhaps even a fracture line, illustrating that the injury never fully healed.
Ellsbury was only 4-for-34 (.118) since returning, but did steal five bases and was beginning to grow comfortable in the batter’s box again.
"You just have to go on the symptoms and [Ellsbury] said it was worse than in Tampa [when he went on the DL for the second time], so we knew this was a DL [move]," Francona told MLB.com. "So now that's he on the DL, we'll try to find out, 'What do we do?'"
There’s also a question of what the Red Sox will do, now again without a steady center fielder or leadoff man. Marco Scutaro will likely hold down the top spot in the order for the remainder of the year. The veteran shortstop has hit leadoff in 99 games this season, logging a .276 average.
Francona will likely plug in whomever he can in center field, rotating Darnell McDonald, Bill Hall and the still-injured Mike Cameron at the position.
