Boston’s Ellsbury has broken foot
Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has a broken right foot, leaving the AL East leaders without a key offensive catalyst as they try to wrap up the division title.
Boston manager John Farrell says the team believes Ellsbury will be back this year, and hopes it will be during the regular season. There is no specific timetable for his return, and the speedy leadoff hitter will keep wearing a protective boot on his injured foot for five days.
Ellsbury had an MRI exam Saturday and returned to Boston for further examination. Then he went to Colorado to get a second opinion from foot specialist Dr. Thomas Clanton at the Steadman Clinic. Farrell says tests confirmed the diagnosis of a compression fracture, which means it’s nondisplaced.
Ellsbury leads the majors with 52 stolen bases. He is batting .299 and has scored a teamhigh 89 runs.
Clay Buchholz is ready to rejoin the Red Sox rotation after missing three months with a strained neck.
The right-hander said he threw about 30 pitches in a routine bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium, his final hurdle before starting Tuesday night against Tampa Bay. Struggling lefty Felix Doubront will be skipped this time through the rotation.
Harvey update: Mets pitcher Matt Harvey will have his sore right elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews to help determine if the 24-year-old needs reconstruction surgery.
Harvey was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 27 with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament. He tweeted last month that he planned on being back from his injury in April, but if reconstruction surgery is required, he probably would miss all of next season.
Harvey started for the National League in the All-Star Game at Citi Field and was 9-5 with a
2.27 ERA in 26 starts.
Drive for 55: Former major-leaguer Wladimir Balentien hit his 53rd home run of the season Sunday to move two shy of Japanese baseball’s season record.
Balentien has 23 regular-season games with the Yakult Swallows to reach the record of 55 set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964 and matched by ex-major leaguers Tuffy Rhodes in 2001 and Alex Cabrera in 2002.