Amid the season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas and negotiating a minefield with designated hitter Rafael Devers about possibly playing that position, the Boston Red Sox are making moves to make sure someone can play the right side of the diamond.
Romy González had been one of the players filling in at first base after Casas’ injury, along with Abraham Toro. But Boston had to place González on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a left quad contusion. To take González’s spot on the active roster, Nick Sogard was called up from Triple-A Worcester, and he’s starting Saturday’s game versus the Kansas City Royals at first base.
González suffered the injury on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers when he collided with Texas Rangers first baseman Josh Smith after trying to beat out a throw from third base.
González appeared to be all right, tried to jog off the injury and was able to leave the field without help. But Toro replaced him at first base in the seventh inning.
Though González and manager Alex Cora thought he would be able to avoid the IL, Toro started at first base for the Red Sox in the past two games. Following Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Royals, Cora said González “didn’t bounce back the way we expected,” necessitating the roster move.
In 17 games this season (starting 10 of them at first base), González is batting .308/.362/.423 with six doubles, six RBI and three stolen bases. Toro has a .143 average with a .286 OPS in five games, which is likely why the Red Sox added some infield help.
Sogard doesn’t appear to be a vast improvement, hitting .188/.314/.248 with six doubles, 10 RBI and six steals in Triple-A. But he batted .273 with a .650 OPS in 31 games with Boston last season. González also should return after his IL stint, which is retroactive to May 8.
That is, unless the Red Sox make a move to bring in another first baseman or somehow convince Devers to get over his refusal to play a new position.
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