Red Sox manager Alex Cora doesn’t yet know the exact timetable relating to the wrist injury to outfielder Adam Duvall, but does know the absence of Duvall could present a challenge to the group.
Cora shared the official diagnosis for Duvall, which is a “distal radius fracture” commonly known as a broken wrist. He will headed to the injured list. The injury occurred on the left side of Duvall’s left wrist as he dove for a fly ball in center field Sunday against the Detroit Tigers and had it rolled up on awkwardly. Duvall, though, continues to undergo more testing in Boston to see if there is any further damage after initially receiving X-rays after Sunday’s game.
“Timetable we don’t know,” Cora told reporters in Tampa Bay. “If there’s going to be a procedure, we don’t know yet. Still going through testing this afternoon and I’ll know more either tonight or tomorrow.”
Duvall was off to an incredibly impressive start with the Red Sox, setting franchise records for his amount of extra-base hits, RBIs, run and total bases through the first seven games. During eight games, Duvall hit .455 with four home runs, 14 RBIs, 11 runs and a 1.544 OPS.
“It’s interesting, right? Because a few weeks ago not too many people thought (he) was going to be a big blow. But the guy is a good player. When we signed him, (we knew) he was going to be a good defender, he was going to put a good at-bat,” Cora said of Duvall. “It’s a big blow. It’s a big blow. But at the same time, somebody has to step up. It’s still early in the season. We got time to do our thing, keep playing good baseball like we did this past weekend and somebody else has to step up. That’s the nature of the business, right?
“At one point we hope he comes back, just like other guys on the IL,” Cora said, hinting the unfortunate reality of a potential timetable. “And hopefully they can contribute throughout the season and help us accomplish what we set out to accomplish.”
Cora stressed how versatility elsewhere in the Red Sox lineup will come into play even more now.
Cora hinted how Kiké Hernández, specifically, will move around in both the infield and outfield. Rob Refsnyder will fill in Duvall’s spot in center fielder and bat fifth against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night and Cora noted he’ll play a big role in filling Duvall’s long-term void. Additionally, Bobby Dalbec will be activated after starting the season in Triple-A Worcester. Both Dalbec and utility infielder Yu Chang can be expected to play shortstop especially when Hernández plays the outfield.
“We’ll move people around, that’s where we’re at,” Cora said. “We’ll mix and match and see what we can do.”
The Red Sox will take on the Rays on Monday night in their first game since the injury to Duvall. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN.
