Uehara’s year over
Second look reveals break
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
Upon further review, Koji Uehara’s wrist is broken after all.
Uehara will miss the rest of the season, the Red Sox announced yesterday, after an examination in Boston revealed the 40-year-old closer suffered a non-displaced distal radius fracture of his right wrist when he was struck by an Ian Kinsler line drive Friday night in Detroit.
X-rays taken immediately after the game were negative for a fracture. But as the weekend wore on, the swelling didn’t subside, prompting the Sox to order a CT scan and send Uehara home for a full examination by the team’s medical staff.
Uehara, who is under contract for $9 million next year, finishes the season with a 2.23 ERA and 25 saves in 27 chances. He also became the sixth pitcher ever to notch a 25-save season after his 40th birthday, joining Hoyt Wilhelm, Dennis Eckersley, Doug Jones, Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera.
The Red Sox won’t replace Uehara until today, but his injury paves the way for the return of righthanded reliever Ryan Cook, a former All-Star acquired July 31 from the Oakland A’s. Cook has struck out three batters in 2 1⁄3 innings at Triple-A Pawtucket.
Between Uehara’s injury and the designation for assignment of right-hander Justin Masterson after Sunday’s game, the Sox have two bullpen vacancies. One of the roster spots could be taken by center fielder Mookie Betts, who will be reinstated tonight from the concussion disabled list.
In Uehara’s absence last weekend, manager John Farrell named righthanded set-up man Junichi Tazawa and recently acquired righty Jean Machi as the primary candidates to close games. Machi pitched the ninth inning in a non-save situation Sunday against the Tigers.
No rest for Holt
In a perfect world, Brock Holt wouldn’t be playing every day, at least not until another second-half slump was no longer hanging over his head.
Of course, the Red Sox’ world is far from perfect.
Left fielder Hanley Ramirez is hobbled by a sore and swollen left foot, the target of one too many foul balls. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval has been playing through the pain of a jammed left thumb. And second baseman Dustin Pedroia is not ready to resume baseball activities since going back on the disabled list last month with a strained right hamstring.
So, Farrell has had little choice but to keep Holt in the lineup — and the leadoff spot, no less, with Betts sidelined since July 27 — despite a 4-for23 funk that has dipped the All-Star utilityman’s average to .276 and onbase percentage to .348
“He’s been on the field every day because of injury, and that’s the benefit of having a guy like him,” Farrell said. “He’s not just a bench player. He’s a guy that can stand in, step in, for three weeks, a month if needed. But there’s some realism, too, when you see things happening. We can’t just change physiological things.”
In other words, the Red Sox can’t magically turn a hustling scrapper who gets every last ounce out of his 5-foot-10, 180-pound body into a hulking bull.
Holt wore down last season, batting .219 after the All-Star break as he achieved career-highs in games played (106) and at-bats (449). And with the 27-year-old on pace to eclipse those marks this year, it seems to be happening again. Since he represented the Sox in the All-Star Game last month, he has started all but six games, including 14 of the last 16, and batted .222 (16-for-72).
It can’t help that Holt plays almost everywhere on the field. But he has told Farrell that shuttling between seven positions actually helps keep him fresh. And with Pedroia out, Holt has played primarily second base.
“I know a lot of people want to see (Holt) on the field every day, as do we,” Farrell said. “But like any player, there’s a balance to get the most production out of him. And that’s not to be critical of Brock. That’s just being candid. That’s to recognize that you see some trends, and you try to head it off before it gets to that point.”
Two weeks ago, the Sox acquired versatile infielder Josh Rutledge in the trade that sent right fielder Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Angels. Last weekend, they recalled infielder Deven Marrero from Triple A and purchased infielder Carlos Rivero from the Seattle Mariners for minor league depth.
But Holt remains the best everyday option in the bunch, so while it isn’t ideal, he figures to remain a lineup fixture, at least until Pedroia returns or Sandoval and Ramirez heal.
“Players play to their capabilities,” Farrell said. “(Holt) is a good player. But there’s a defined role, too, that’s best for him.”
Go Fish
Last weekend, designated hitter David Ortiz took grounders at first base in anticipation of starting at least one of the two interleague games against the Marlins in Miami.
Likewise, knuckleballer Steven Wright and lefty Eduardo Rodriguez — scheduled to start tonight and tomorrow, respectively — took batting practice. Neither has had an at-bat in the big leagues.