Veteran Red Sox outfielder hit by pitch on left food and suffered 'crack' in toe
The injury bug has been hanging around the Red Sox this spring and bit another player.
With just a little over two weeks before Opening Day, the Red Sox may have lost outfielder Rob Refsnyder.
The veteran came into the game as a pinch-hitter from Tyler O’Neill in the bottom of the fifth inning, he was struck in the left foot by a pitch. Refsnyder remained in the game for the top of the sixth inning but was eventually removed by skipper Alex Cora.
Following the Red Sox 8-6 Grapefruit League loss to the Cardinals, Refsnyder told Ian Browne of MLB.com that he suffered a “crack” in his left pinkie toe. He left the ballpark with his foot in a boot, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam.
Cora told reporters that Refsnyder would undergo x-rays, but it appears based off the outfielders comments, those were done at the ballpark.
“We’ll see where we’re at,” said Cora. “We’ll know more in the next few hours.”
Refsnyder is an eight-year veteran of the big leagues, having spent time with six different organizations. He’s performed well facing off against left-handed pitching, opening a career OPS of .757. While with the Red Sox, he has been a solid depth piece off the bench and as an extra outfielder.
With the emergence of Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, he has been battling for a roster spot this spring.
“I don’t think Rob’s status decided what we do with Rafaela,” said Cora. “I think everything starts in center field. But if there’s something there (with an injury), then it affects others on the roster.”
There’s a possibility that Refsnyder will land on the injured list and depending on the play of the younger outfielders, he could be the odd-man out moving forward.
