Two of the Boston Red Sox’s highly-touted infielders have missed some early Grapefruit League games while nursing day-to-day ailments. One has returned to action and the other has experienced an unexpected setback.
Triston Casas played his first spring training game Saturday after being sidelined with the flu. He struck out twice batting fourth in the Sox’s big-league lineup.
Casas has been one of the Red Sox’s stars of the offseason and he’s rumored to be in great shape for the coming slate. Opening Day is less than a month away, but Casas has plenty of time to find himself before games start to count.
Vaughn Grissom was initially categorized as day-to-day with a hamstring injury. He was supposed to return to action Sunday, but a recent setback has delayed his training even further.
Grissom has been downgraded to out due to a groin strain and, according to manager Alex Cora, his potential to start on Opening Day is in question. Grissom strained his groin while participating in fielding drills.
Grissom was taking his training slow while he was nursing hamstring strains. Boston is not sure when Grissom was injured, but the injury wasn’t regarded as serious. Now, he could be out for around a month.
BoSox Injection keeps track of Red Sox injuries and updates this page with news and timelines for players’ returns.
Bryan Mata
Red Sox right-handed pitcher Bryan Mata has been listed as day-to-day with a pulled hamstring. There is no clear timeline for his return.
The prospect was projected to arrive in Boston sometime this season, but this delay in his training may have repercussions on his potential to play for the Sox this year. His progress has already been repeatedly derailed by injuries — he missed the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 campaign while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. He only made nine appearances for the Woo Sox last season.
The 24-year-old is out of minor-league options and if he does not make the major league roster this season he’ll be subjected to waivers.
Kenley Jansen
The Red Sox 2023 All-Star closer Kenley Jansen has been battling lat soreness from the beginning of spring training. Rumors have circulated that the injury has been holding up or killing any potential trades for the veteran.
Jansen has been throwing on flat ground as of Monday, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Jansen has been taking his program slowly to monitor the injury so it does not worsen. There is no clear timeline for his return to game action.
Liam Hendriks
Boston signed Liam Hendriks at the start of spring training knowing that he would have to spend quite a while away from the action.
Hendriks has been sidelined since the end of last season after he underwent Tommy John surgery. Before his elbow issues, the Australia native only made five appearances for the White Sox after his return from beating cancer.
Hendriks is expected to be able to pitch late in the 2024 season. He hopes to return around the trade deadline, but his official timeline is not yet clear.
Jarren Duran
Duran returned to the diamond on Friday afternoon to play against the Twins. He missed the first few of Boston’s Grapefruit League games as he was still recovering from a surgery he underwent in the offseason to address his turf toe, which kept him out of action down the stretch in 2023.
Cora reported that Duran was likely to start as the designated hitter on Friday but he opened the contest against the Tigers in left field, a good sign for Boston’s 2023 breakout outfielder. Duran’s debut was quiet — in his two at-bats, he flied out and struck out — but thankfully he has plenty of time to get back on track following the foot procedure.
Connor Wong
Connor Wong has appeared in three spring training games for the Sox, but in the role of designated hitter. Boston’s likely starting catcher has been dealing with elbow soreness which has delayed his catching program.
Wong made his 2024 catching debut in the Sox’s Saturday game against the Nationals.