The Red Sox are getting a major bat back at the perfect time.
Willson Contreras was activated from the injured list on Sunday, giving Boston its top hitter back after a stretch on the sidelines with a left hamstring strain. To make room on the 28-man roster, infielder Anthony Seigler was placed on the 10-day injured list after leaving Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals with a wrist injury.
Contreras last appeared on Aug. 30 in Boston’s 16-1 loss to the New York Yankees, and he had been dealing with a long list of injuries all summer. His return had been trending in the right direction earlier this week when he looked noticeably better during baserunning drills, and Sunday brought the expected move.
Even with the recent slump that prompted the break, Contreras has still been one of the most productive hitters in baseball. His .900 OPS ranks fifth among qualified hitters, and his 26 home runs and 79 RBIs still lead the team entering Sunday.
His time away also came with a bit of noise off the field. On Saturday night, Contreras drew attention online after an at-bat in Double-A, where an umpire would not allow him to step out and re-apply pine tar. He ended up giving up on the plate appearance, then threw his bat back at home plate as he walked away after striking out.
Assuming Contreras keeps swinging when he gets into the box, Boston should have a serious boost down the stretch with just two weeks left in the regular season. The Red Sox are also expecting another injured All-Star back by the end of next week in Ceddanne Rafaela.
Contreras returned to the cleanup spot and played first base against the Royals on Sunday, and Boston’s magic number to clinch a playoff berth sat at seven.
In Other News...
Ceddanne Rafaela Update Gives Red Sox A Needed Stretch Run Boost
Ceddanne Rafaela has been on the Injured List since Sept. 2 with a right quadriceps strain, and the next step in his return is set for the Red Soxs upcoming series in Texas. The plan is for him to ramp up his running progression there, a sign that Boston is moving him closer to game action at a time when every healthy body matters.
The timing could work out well for the Red Sox, who are hoping to get him back as soon as next weekend against the Rays. If that holds, Rafaela would have roughly nine games to get back to full speed before the postseason begins, giving Boston a chance to reintroduce one of its most important defenders and athletes before October pressure arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Former Yankees Castoff Is Giving Red Sox A Timely Boost
Mickey Gaspers arrival in mid-August has given the Red Sox an unexpected lift at just the right time, and it comes with a familiar twist for this franchise. The former Yankees draft pick has quickly made his presence felt after the call-up, producing at a level that has put him near the top of the league in key offensive categories during that stretch.
It also fits a larger pattern Boston has seen before, with former Yankees players sometimes finding new life in a Red Sox uniform. Gaspers path has not been a straight line, either, as he came to Boston through the minor-league portion of the 2023 Rule 5 draft and has already traveled through trades and waiver claims along the way, making this latest burst feel like another notable turn in a career that has taken plenty of detours. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Face A New Worry With Kristian Campbell
Kristian Campbell had started to look like one of the more obvious next-man-up candidates in the Red Sox system, especially with recent performance building and the big-league outfield thinned by injuries. His name had moved into the conversation for a promotion as Boston looked for help, and that alone made him a player worth tracking closely as the season pushed forward.
Now the focus has shifted for a different reason. Campbell was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Worcester with a left foot contusion, which makes an immediate call-up unlikely and introduces a new layer of uncertainty to his path. For a Red Sox club already dealing with outfield instability, the pause is a frustrating one, because the potential solution was just starting to come into view. [Read more 🡒]