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5 moments that derailed the Red Sox 2022 season

By Gabrielle Starr

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 17: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field with a dislocated pinky finger after getting hit by a line drive from Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 17: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field with a dislocated pinky finger after getting hit by a line drive from Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 14: Triston Casas #36 of the Boston Red Sox talks with Eric Hosmer #35 of the Boston Red Sox in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees on September 14, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 14: Triston Casas #36 of the Boston Red Sox talks with Eric Hosmer #35 of the Boston Red Sox in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees on September 14, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

Triston Casas’ ankle sprain

Late last spring, a source intimated that if Triston Casas got off to a strong start in Triple-A, he’d debut earlier in the season and the Sox would include Bobby Dalbec in some form of trade.

Instead, Casas sustained a high-ankle sprain in May and missed nearly two months of the MiLB season. As a result, the Sox had to stick with Dalbec and try to teach Franchy Cordero to play first base. When neither of them could get the job done, the Sox acquired Eric Hosmer at the trade deadline, contingent on the San Diego Padres paying the remainder of his salary.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the four-time Gold Glover turned out to be a temporary fix, as he, too, went on the Injured List after playing just 12 games for his new team. The Sox finally called Casas up in September, and Hosmer returned for the final series of the season, but of course, by the time both of them arrived, it was too late.

And now, the Sox have to figure out what to do with Casas, Hosmer, Dalbec, and Cordero.

What a mess.

Kiké Hernández’s injury

There are two ways to make people appreciate greatness: by showing it to them, and then by taking it away.

Within Kiké Hernández’s first two seasons in Boston, both happened. In his first year, the super-utilityman proved himself to be an excellent defender, particularly in Fenway Park’s tricky centerfield triangle. In the postseason, he tied David Ortiz’s record of five home runs in one playoff run.

But in 2022, Hernández became one of several significant injuries, and because of how valuable he’d become in just one season, his absence was particularly difficult to sustain. In early June, the Sox had to put him on the IL with a hip flexor strain. By late July, the 10-Day IL became the 60-day.

The Sox were 30-27 and riding a seven-game winning streak when Hernández went on the IL; it ended the following day. When he returned on August 16, his team was 58-59, and by the end of the month, they were 63-68 and the season was all but over.

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