Darnell McDonald was perhaps the best example of a Red Sox player stepping up to fill the void caused by injuries. It turns out he was playing with one of his own for the entire season.
McDonald underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. The procedure was performed by Dr. Donald Sheridan in Arizona.
The 31-year-old outfielder sustained the injury in spring training but never informed the team, according to reports, and gutted through 117 games. He is the third player to receive a procedure on a thumb in the past two months, joining first baseman Kevin Youkilis and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, both of whom had their seasons cut short by their respective procedures.
McDonald, signed as a free agent by the Red Sox last November, made a splash by homering in his first at-bat and then delivering a walk-off RBI single in his debut with the team back on April 20. The former first round pick hit .270 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and nine stolen bases overall.
