Good news: Just a bruise
Betts exits early after plate collision, but probably OK
A nasty collision at home plate left Red Sox star Mookie Betts’ legs tied up like a pretzel and eventually forced him to make an early exit from yesterday’s game.
X-rays taken on Betts’ left foot were negative and the injury is considered just a bruise, the Red Sox later announced.
“He’s OK,” manager Alex Cora said after the Sox’ 10-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles. “Most likely I’ll stay away from him (for today’s game).”
The collision took place when Betts scored from first on a double off the Green Monster by Andrew Benintendi in the first inning.
It was a high fly ball and Betts read it well, sprinting around the bases and going hard into a feetfirst slide at home. But the relay throw from shortstop took Orioles catcher Chance Sisco into the lane between third and home.
Sisco left his shin behind to block the plate, Betts’ ankle got caught up in the shin pad and his knee bent back as his body slid forward. He was also hit in the back by the throw.
Betts was ruled safe but stayed on the ground grimacing in obvious pain for a minute. He limped off the field and stayed in the game for two innings. He was removed to start the fourth.
Jackie Bradley Jr. slid from center to right field, Benintendi moved from left to center and Blake Swihart went to left field and replaced Betts in the lineup.
To block the plate is illegal under the new rules, which were implemented in 2014 to prevent dangerous collisions. But the rule also states, “it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 6.01(i)(2) if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in a legitimate attempt to field the throw.”
Cora said he had no problem with Sisco’s positioning.
“I think the throw took him that way,” Cora said. “There’s nothing you can do.”
Pomeranz ready to go
Drew Pomeranz is ready to rejoin the Red Sox rotation.
Pomeranz went 51⁄3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, including a homer, while walking three and striking out four in a rehab start with Double-A Portland on Friday.
His next start will be with the Red Sox, either their last game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday or the first game against the Oakland A’s on Friday.
“I’m ready to go,” Pomeranz said. “I feel good. It was a very minor thing in the first place. It’s just slowed everything down for me and I slowly ramped it back up at this point.”
It’s not encouraging that he’s walked nine batters in two rehab starts, but the Sox think he’s ready after missing a few weeks with a forearm flexor strain.
“It was just ramping it back up slowly, not too quickly,” he said. “I’ve felt good this whole time. Just giving myself a little bit of work instead of rushing back out there and being thrown into the fire.”
Right move with JBJ
Making the move from center to right for the first time since 2015, Bradley made another highlight-reel catch, this time with a fully extended dive in which he snagged the ball not more than an inch off the ground.
“I wasn’t even thinking about my wrist,” said Bradley, who rolled over his arm after making the grab. “I have snapped my wrist before. I think the key is, when you’re that low to the ground, just making sure everything is straight and extended. Thankfully, when I tend to dive, I tend to go limp. You don’t want to have anything on your body pretty tight because that’s when things go bad.”
The catch robbed Adam Jones of a hit in the sixth inning.
Cora said Bradley’s “eyes lit up” when he told him he’d be playing some right field upon Betts’ exit.
“I felt fine, I’ve played there before,” Bradley said. “We discussed it beforehand. Andrew hasn’t played right field yet.”
Lineup changes in order
Yesterday, Cora opted to go with Sandy Leon instead of starter Christian Vazquez at catcher and Brock Holt instead of Eduardo Nunez at second base.
It’s been a grind for Nunez to play on his balky right knee, but after his three-run homer Friday it was deemed necessary to give him a day off the following day.
With Holt at second, Tsu-Wei Lin got the start at shortstop. Each of them went 2-for-4.
It’s been a disappointing start for Holt at the plate. He’s 3-for20 with five walks in eight games, most of which he’s played since Xander Bogaerts got hurt.
“He can do better and he knows it,” Cora said. “He grinds at-bats, takes pitches and all that. It’s not easy to get into that rhythm . ... I understand that. What I’m asking from him is give me a quality atbat and play good defense. So far so good there.” . . .
Chris Sale makes his fourth start of the season today against the Orioles. He’s yet to throw more than 93 pitches in a game this season. Will the Sox start to push their ace a bit harder?
“I don’t like talking about it because, game-planning-wise, you never know,” Cora said. “If you start grinding out at-bats and there’s no quick outs, all of a sudden we’re in a situation like with the Miami Marlins, they fouled off pitches, and he was out in the fifth. We’ll make sure — we’ll know when we’re going to push them.”