The Boston Red Sox’s streak of bad luck continued Friday after third baseman Alex Bregman exited Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles early with an apparent injury.
Bregman hit a single in the fifth inning, rounding first base before calling for the trainer. He left the game with “right quad tightness,” per the team, which did not provide any additional information about the injury.
Infielder Abraham Toro replaced Bregman for the rest of the game. Prior to the injury, Bregman had one hit and one walk in two at-bats.
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Bregman is having a career year so far. The veteran has 11 home runs, with a batting average of .297 and a .935 OPS — the sixth highest in the league.
It’s unclear whether Bregman’s injury is a serious one, as manager Alex Cora said after the game “we’ll see tomorrow” what the severity is. But the issue taps into an ongoing saga between Bregman and Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers. When the Red Sox signed Bregman as a free agent, Devers was demoted from his third base position and relegated to DH.
Now, it’s possible Devers will head back to the infield if Bregman has to miss time. Bregman, meanwhile, would be considered a top free agent if he chooses to opt out during the offseason — but a major injury could change things.
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In the end, losing Bregman didn’t matter much to the Red Sox on Friday: Boston flattened the Orioles, 19-5, icing the victory with a 13-run eighth inning. Devers had a great day, hitting a three-run homer in the sixth inning and a grand slam in the eighth.
But otherwise, it’s been a tough few weeks for the Red Sox, who are 26-26 after losing several players to injury, all while dealing with the pressure of disappointed Boston fans. On top of that, Cora and starting pitcher Walker Buehler were both ejected earlier this week after erupting at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.
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