Alex Cora Provides Discouraging Injury Updates On Nathan Eovaldi, Eric Hosmer

Even this late into the regular season and the Boston Red Sox still can’t catch a break on the injury front.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed some tough news regarding Tanner Houck’s recovery from a back injury prior to Thursday’s game against the Texas Rangers, and his updates on the health of Nathan Eovaldi and Eric Hosmer weren’t much better.

Eovaldi, who was placed on the injured list on Aug. 23 due to right shoulder inflammation, is “progressing slower than expected,” according to The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams, after he threw a couple of days ago. Hosmer’s return looks like it will be delayed as well with the first baseman being shut down due to lingering back pain, per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.

It’s certainly a blow for the Red Sox not to have two key pieces available for the final 31 games of the regular season with Boston looking to make a final push at the third and final Wild Card spot in the American League. The setback might be even more difficult for Hosmer, who was trying to make a good first impression in a Red Sox uniform after being traded to the club from the San Diego Padres a month ago. Hosmer has played in just 12 games since joining the Red Sox, batting .225 with no home runs and four RBIs.

With Eovaldi and Hosmer staying on the shelf, it could present opportunities for Red Sox prospects, including Triston Casas, to showcase their talent at the big-league level.

The Red Sox, who already called up two players on Thursday, open up a four-game series with the Rangers at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game with NESN 360.