Marlins’ Alcantara confident of 2023 return
Red Sox rookie Casas not expected to play again this season because of shoulder injury
ARLINGTON, Texas – Boston Red Sox rookie first baseman Triston Casas isn’t expected to play again this season because of right shoulder inflammation.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Casas was seeing a doctor, and they were looking at an MRI. But even before knowing those results, Cora said it was unlikely the first baseman would get back in the lineup.
Casas was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday. Boston, last in the AL East, had only 11 games remaining after the series opener at Texas on Monday night.
“To ramp up again … it doesn’t make any sense. That’s where we’re at,” Cora said. “For this season, it doesn’t make sense to get him back here.”
Casas hit .263 with 24 home runs and 65 RBIs in 132 games. He ranked first among AL rookies in walks and second in homers. He batted .317 with 15 home runs in 54 games after the AllStar break.
Royals Perez on 7-day concussion list
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals placed All-Star catcher Salvador Perez on the seven-day concussion list Monday, two days after he left a game against the Astros with what the club initially called a “non-concussive head impact.”
The Royals made the move before opening a three-game series against the Guardians. They selected the contract of Tyler Cropley from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move and transferred fellow catcher Freddy Fermin to the 60-day injured list.
Perez was hit in the facemask by a foul ball off the bat of Jose Altuve in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against Houston. The impact popped the mask off Perez, and the catcher initially told Royals trainer Kyle Turner that he was fine. But during a later at-bat, umpire John Libka bent down to check on Perez, who had begun to feel light-headed. That’s when Turner and Royals manager Matt Quatraro checked on him again and took him out of the game.
“As is protocol when you have a head impact, the next day you follow up with a concussion specialist,” Quatraro said. “As they went through the testing, they found he did have a mild concussion.”
Quatraro said he hasn’t given a thought to shutting down Perez, who was hitting .252 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs. But considering the club began the day 48-102 and, with five more losses, would set the franchise-record for futility, there is a chance the 33year-old catcher will not return this season.
MIAMI – Injured Miami Marlins ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara feels confident of returning this season after throwing his second bullpen session on Monday.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since Sept. 6 because of a right forearm flexor strain. Alcantara felt discomfort while pitching against Washington on Sept. 3.
“Everything was great,” Alcantara said of his approximately 20-pitch session before a series opener against the New York Mets. “I used all my pitches like I would in a game.”
The 28-year-old Alcantara has been one of the most durable starting pitchers in the major leagues the last four years. He led the majors in innings and complete games last season while becoming Miami’s first Cy Young winner.
Before going on the injured list with the first arm-related issue of his big league career, Alcantara had thrown 184 2/3 innings and three complete games, going 7-12 with a 4.14 ERA and 151 strikeouts.