Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was diagnosed with a compression fracture in his right foot and will miss significant playing time, but Boston is hopeful that he'll be back in the lineup before the regular-season ends.
Ellsbury received a second opinion on his foot in Denver, which gave him the same news he received in Boston as well: a compression fracture in the navicular bone in his right foot, according to MLB.com. There are only 17 games remaining on the Red Sox schedule before the playoffs start, but manager John Farrell said he doesn't expect Ellsbury to miss too much playing time.
"Yeah, the exam that he went through, the images taken in Denver concur with what's been found in the exam in Boston and he does have a compression fracture," Farrell told MLB.com when asked about the injury and a possible return date for Ellsbury. "That means it's non-displaced. But at the same time, we feel like he'll return this year. He's in a boot right now, will be for the time being. We feel like he'll be back to us before this year is out. We're hopeful in the regular season, yes."
Ellsbury initially hurt the foot on Aug. 28 when he fouled a ball off of it, but he still played for over a week following the injury before being shut down on Saturday. Ellsbury re-aggravated his foot when he was legging out a stolen base in the 10th inning of a game against the New York Yankees Thursday. He then came around to score the go ahead run and the Red Sox took the game 9-8.
MLB.com reports that second baseman Dustin Pedroia had a fractured foot on June 25, 2010, and only played two games for the rest of the year, however the severity of the two injuries is much different.
"I've talked to him about it," Pedroia said per MLB.com. "Mine was a little a different, but same area. It's something you can't mess with. Got to make sure you take care of it and you're able to play and run and not be sore the next day."
While there is no exact timetable for Ellsbury's return, the Red Sox will have to adjust a key piece of their lineup. To replace Ellsbury in center, the team called up Jackie Bradley Jr. from Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday. Ellsbury's lead off slot in the lineup is expected to be filled by right fielder Shane Victorino, according to MLB.com.
"We'll have to pick up the slack," Pedroia said to MLB.com on the topic of losing Ellsbury from the lineup. "He's a huge part of our lineup and team. Guys are going to have to step up, and they will."
The Red Sox have an off day Monday but resume play Tuesday against the Rays in Tampa Bay. Boston holds a 7.5 game lead over the Rays in the American League East, and is looking to put the final nail in the coffin with a successful series this week.
Boston will have to do it without Ellsbury, who is hitting .299 with eight homers and 52 RBIs, and leads the league with 52 stolen bases.
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