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Aug 3, 2010
The latest twist in the Red Sox' season of injury may have been the topper of them all.
Kevin Youkilis suffered a tear of the muscle that helps contract his right thumb during his first at-bat Monday night, an injury the team medical staff described as rare and one they're not quite sure how to treat.
"They're searching for some answers because this is, I think, quite rare," said manager Terry Francona. "How it happened is a little hard to explain."
Update: General manager Theo Epstein told reporters late Tuesday afternoon that Youkilis will be examined by a hand specialist. If the doctor recommends surgery, Youkilis will have the operation and his season will be over. The team is worried he could do serious, career-altering damage if he reinjures the thumb before it's completely healed.
The Sox placed Youkilis on the 15-day disabled list -- opening both a roster spot and, on Tuesday night at least, a place in the lineup for Mike Lowell -- and hope that two weeks of rest will cure the injury,
"In the meantime, there's no way we're going to let him play and take a swing and hurt his career," said Francona.
Youkilis is one of the team's important hitters, currently batting .307 with 19 home runs, 62 RBI, a .411 on-base percentage and a .564 slugging percentage. His loss -- he is the sixth member of the Opening Night lineup to hit the disabled list, and, with the exception of Dustin Pedroia, perhaps the most important -- will certainly dim the Sox' chances of making up ground in both the A.L. East and wild-card races.
The latest twist in the Red Sox' season of injury may have been the topper of them all.
Kevin Youkilis suffered a tear of the muscle that helps contract his right thumb during his first at-bat Monday night, an injury the team medical staff described as rare and one they're not quite sure how to treat.
"They're searching for some answers because this is, I think, quite rare," said manager Terry Francona. "How it happened is a little hard to explain."
Update: General manager Theo Epstein told reporters late Tuesday afternoon that Youkilis will be examined by a hand specialist. If the doctor recommends surgery, Youkilis will have the operation and his season will be over. The team is worried he could do serious, career-altering damage if he reinjures the thumb before it's completely healed.
The Sox placed Youkilis on the 15-day disabled list -- opening both a roster spot and, on Tuesday night at least, a place in the lineup for Mike Lowell -- and hope that two weeks of rest will cure the injury,
"In the meantime, there's no way we're going to let him play and take a swing and hurt his career," said Francona.
Youkilis is one of the team's important hitters, currently batting .307 with 19 home runs, 62 RBI, a .411 on-base percentage and a .564 slugging percentage. His loss -- he is the sixth member of the Opening Night lineup to hit the disabled list, and, with the exception of Dustin Pedroia, perhaps the most important -- will certainly dim the Sox' chances of making up ground in both the A.L. East and wild-card races.
At least Mikey Lowell will finally get back in the line-up, he got the shaft all year long. He doesn't need to move too much at first base and still is a quality bat so the blow might not hurt that badly but you can't replace a hitter like Youkilis especially if he's gone the remainder of the year. Just the kind of season Boston has been having. Here's to the Mike Lowell/Jed Lowrie platoon at first base /whiney rant.
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