The Boston Red Sox appear to have caught a break when it comes to Xander Bogaerts.
The shortstop had to leave Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays early after being hit by a pitch on his right hand. Luckily for the Sox, though, the ball hit the fatty part of his hand, and the X-rays came back negative.
Despite the positive news, the hand still was hurting too much for Bogaerts to make an immediate return to the lineup.
“It’s still pretty sore. A lot of improvement from yesterday, but it’s still tough to hold a bat and throw a ball,” Bogaerts said, via the Providence Journal’s Tim Britton. “I knew coming in today it would be tough to play but I didn’t expect it to feel this bad. Hopefully tomorrow it’s much better compared to today.”
Bogaerts added that he’s like to play before Boston and the rest of Major League Baseball enjoy the All-Star break, and manager John Farrell had a similar timeline when he spoke with the media before the Red Sox battled the Rays on Friday at Tropicana Field.
“He’s responded favorably to treatment throughout the course of the early afternoon” manager John Farrell said, according to Britton. “We’re hopeful that overnight, another 24 hours of treatment, he’d be back available to us.”
And once the series against Tampa Bay is over, Bogaerts might soak up some rays.
“I might just do that (go home to Aruba),” he said, per Britton. “I think I deserve to be on a beach.”
We’re no experts, but that sounds like a pretty good way to continue the recovery process.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from Red Sox-Rays.
— Drew Pomeranz didn’t have his best stuff Friday night, but it was enough for the win. He only allowed two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts over six innings, but he also had five walks. However, the Red Sox left-hander still got the victory and now has a 9-4 record with a 3.60 ERA in what’s been a very strong first half of the season.
— The Sox got things started at the plate with four runs in the third inning, two of which came on a Dustin Pedroia two-run home run. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Hanley Ramirez both added solo homers, as well.
— Every single Red Sox hitter had at least one hit in the win except for Mitch Moreland and Christian Vazquez, although Moreland walked and scored a run, while Vazquez earned an RBI. Ramirez led all batters with his 3-for-4 effort with a walk. Deven Marrero and Pedroia also had multi-hit performances.
— Boston didn’t need a save Friday night, but it still turned to Craig Kimbrel in the ninth. The closer hadn’t pitched since Monday, but he showed no signs of rust with three strikeouts.
Thumbnail photo via Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports Images
