Stephen Drew aggravates oblique injury, could be headed for MRI - MLB

Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew is out of the lineup for the fourth straight game tonight after he aggravated his right oblique injury during batting practice on Wednesday. According to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal, Drew could be sent for an MRI tomorrow if he’s still dealing with discomfort.

“He’s frustrated by it,” manager John Farrell said. “At the same time, we can’t risk any longer-term situation here.”

Drew signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Red Sox late last month and played seven tune-up games in the minors before making his season debut last Monday. The 31-year-old was showing signs of rust prior to the oblique injury, going just 1-for-14 with five strikeouts. These type of injuries are notoriously tricky, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a trip to the disabled list is next.

Jonathan Herrera has been filling in at shortstop this week, but he hasn’t done much at the plate. It will be interesting to see if Xander Bogaerts slides back over to shortstop if Drew’s injury requires a lengthy absence, as it would give the Red Sox another way to get Brock Holt into the lineup. With Shane Victorino set to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Saturday, they could use the extra flexibility.

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CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”