The San Diego Padres will be without their second baseman for an extended period. Xander Bogaerts has been diagnosed with a fractured shoulder and faces an indefinite recovery period.
The way Bogaerts sustained his injury is eerily similar to an incident familiar to Boston Red Sox fans. Bogaerts dived for a ball, fully extending his arm, much like Trevor Story did on April 5 against the Angels. Story’s similar injury and subsequent surgery prematurely ended his season with the Red Sox for the third consecutive year.
Both players displayed immediate signs of pain after their dives, leading many to initially suspect shoulder dislocations. While Bogaerts’ MRI results were negative, his x-rays revealed a fracture.
In contrast to Story’s situation, Bogaerts might be somewhat more fortunate. He is not expected to require surgery, which usually entails a six-month recovery period, as was the case for Story. The Padres have not yet provided a specific timeline for Bogaerts’ return, but he is hopeful to be back in about a month.
The shoulder injury of former Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts bears a striking resemblance to that of Trevor Story.
Xander Bogaerts To Miss Significant Time Due To Shoulder Fracture https://t.co/TwA5NGpCgW pic.twitter.com/SuSwtTROC0
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) May 22, 2024
Injuries are never welcome, and for Bogaerts, this setback couldn’t have come at a worse time. Despite his struggles early in the season with a batting average of .204/.259/.278 on May 11, he was finally finding his rhythm with a six-game hit streak before his dive halted his progress. Just when he was starting to heat up, fate intervened.
Boston’s shortstop, Story, was also hit hard by injury after showing promise in his first healthy offseason with the Red Sox. With only eight games under his belt, he was batting .226/.294/.323, contributing three doubles and four RBIs. While his performance wasn’t outstanding, his leadership and timely hits were valuable to the team.
Now, the Red Sox turn to Luis Arraez to fill Bogaerts’ shoes at second base. However, Arraez’s defensive abilities pale in comparison to Bogaerts’. While Bogaerts has posted four outs above average this season, Arráez has struggled, logging a concerning negative nine.
Injuries are part of the game, and it was only a matter of time before the Red Sox were affected. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery for Bogaerts, as his recent offensive surge and defensive prowess are crucial for the team’s potential Wild Card aspirations.
