Red Sox Sam Travis tears ACL, out for season
By Drew Peabody
Sam Travis, a prime candidate for the Red Sox first base job in the next couple years, tears the ACL ligament in his left knee, sidelining him for the season.
Sam Travis made the first base situation for the Boston Red Sox a little murkier going forward when he was lost for the season to a torn ACL in his left knee.
Travis sustained the injury in a game on Sunday making a tag in a rundown. At the time, Travis was leading the International League in RBI. If recovery goes according to plan, he should be ready for next season’s Spring Training.
Some had speculated Travis could have competed for a major league job next season at first base. He did nothing but impress the team in Spring Training this season, raking to a .469 average with a 1.147 OPS. This plan was assuming that Hanley Ramirez would be the full-time DH in 2017 and Travis would slide into the first base spot. Travis Shaw would stay at third base. This would also make the large assumption that Pablo Sandoval would not be a factor in the equation whatsoever.
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Travis, while leading the IL in RBI, had posted career lows in all average categories, though .272/.332/.434 is not exactly terrible. In a strange twist of fate, Travis’ former college teammate at Indiana, Kyle Schwarber, sustained a similar knee injury on April 7, putting him out for the season as well.
Behind Travis in the minors, the cupboard is not exactly teeming with prime prospects ready for the majors at first base. While Josh Ockimey (Red Sox #10 prospect) is having a tremendous season at Low-A Greenville (.297/.441/.561), he is two years away from the majors at least. At High-A Greenville, 20 year old Nick Longhi is posting a .741 OPS. At Double-A Portland, first base is being manned by journeymen Nate Freiman (29 and a .751 OPS) and Ryan Court (28 and .800 OPS).
The other possibility was that Travis could have been used as a prime chip in a trade this season for whatever piece the Red Sox might need. While that might be a scenario down the road, that is nothing that can happen this season obviously.
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If there is any bright side for the Red Sox, it will give the team more time to deal Sandoval if circumstances come to that. Travis will not only have to get healthy, he will have to prove he can still produce at the high minors before he gets the chance in the big leagues.
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