All-Star Slugger Lands On Injured List During Red Sox Series

The Boston Red Sox can sweep a vulnerable opponent that lost its best hitter over the weekend.

Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough revealed before Saturday’s game that Kyle Stowers is going on the injured list with a Grade-1 left side strain. McCullough expects the All-Star outfielder to miss “several weeks,” per El Extrabase’s Daniel Álvarez-Montes.

Stowers began the series by going 2-for-3 with a walk and two doubles in Friday’s 7-5 loss at Fenway Park. The 27-year-old told reporters he “felt something a little weird” on a swing during his first at-bat.

“It’s a part of the game,” Stowers said. “Stuff like this happens, so I’ll just take it one day at a time. Do what you can to get a little better each day. I’m still waiting on some more information, so just trying to not let my mind go too wild.”

The injury halts a breakout season for Stowers, whom the Marlins acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade for starting pitcher Trevor Rogers last summer. The left-handed masher is batting .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs in 117 games.

Stowers went more than a month without going yard from May 16 to June 21, a stretch that included him missing a few starts because of a wrist issue. He has since registered a National League-leading .677 slugging percentage, punishing his former team with a three-homer game on July 13.

The Marlins haven’t mustered much offense in recent years, but they enter Sunday’s game ranked 16th with a .712 team OPS. They tallied eight hits and two home runs in Saturday’s 7-5 loss to the Red Sox without Stowers.

Sunday’s game between Boston and Miami starts at 1:35 p.m. ET.