The Red Sox got tough news over the weekend concerning Romy Gonzalez’s rehab from shoulder surgery. Gonzalez’s hip flexor became an issue, causing the club to pause his rehab assignment.
It appears to be a minor setback, as MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reports the infielder is back in the lineup for Triple-A Worcester. He’ll bat second as the designated hitter.
Interim manager Chad Tracy told the Boston Globe‘s Tim Healey that Gonzalez was expected to resume his rehab this week. The hip issue flared up over the weekend while rehabbing with Worcester.
Red Sox Infield Situation
Gonzalez had developed into a key part of the Red Sox infield. While not an everyday player, he served as a key right-handed bat off the bench. Against left-handed pitching, he owns a career .304/.345/.527 slash.
With Gonzalez back in the lineup for Worcester, there’s a timeline for him to return to the Red Sox lineup. The team will start a seven-game homestand against the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals. Gonzalez theoretically should be back before that homestand ends.
The injuries to the infield have added up over the season. They’re without Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Story is recovering from sports hernia surgery and is currently on the 60-day injured list. Kiner-Falefa was recently placed on the 10-day IL with a forearm injury.
The Red Sox have relied on Marcelo Mayer and Anthony Seigler as their primary middle infield combination of late. Mayer moved over to shortstop after Story underwent surgery. Seigler was called up as the corresponding move for Kiner-Falefa’s IL placement and has started the past three games.
Gonzalez is currently on the 60-day injured list. The Red Sox could option either Seigler or Monasterio to the minor leagues for the active roster move. But they’ll also have to make a roster move to open up a 40-man roster spot for Gonzalez.
The likely move is a player getting designated for assignment, with no obvious 60-day IL candidates. Jovani Moran is a possibility, but there isn’t enough information on how long the left-hander could be out. He’s been on the 15-day injured list, with a June 5 backdate.
How the Red Sox Have Handled Romy Gonzalez’s Absence
The Red Sox have been without Romy Gonzalez all season. He underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his left shoulder on March 12. He’s been on the injured list all season.
In his absence, Boston has used Andruw Monasterio as the short half of the platoon at second base. Monasterio has a .229/.302/.458 slash against lefties this season, good for a 104 wRC+.
Getting Gonzalez back would add more right-handed punch to a Red Sox offense struggling to score runs. They enter play on June 23 with the second-lowest runs per game scored at 3.89. Only the San Diego Padres are worse at 3.86.
While his return won’t be in time to save the Red Sox’s season, his performance could determine what role he plays in 2027. There are a lot of moving parts regarding the club’s middle-infield situation between Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer.
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