Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer hasn't appeared in a game since July 23, when he departed with a wrist sprain.
The Red Sox were given a few possible courses of action to address Mayer's wrist sprain, which includes damage to the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), an injury he's already had during his time in the minor leagues. The 22-year-old could have undergone season-ending surgery, but instead opted for a cortisone shot, which he received on August 2.
“I want to play and I want to get back on the field as soon as possible. We have a great team, and all I want to do is play,” Mayer said, via Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. “So obviously, went with the injection route, and hopefully I’m good enough to play. And if not, I know that I gave it 100 percent trying to get back on the field.”
Marcelo Mayer's wrist feeling better after cortisone shot, Red Sox still have not cleared him for baseball activities
Mayer said he feels a "100 percent" difference in his pain level since he got the cortisone shot. He still hasn't been cleared for baseball activities, and he has some rehabbing and strengthening to do before that happens. Offseason surgery may still be on the table if his injury persists.
Mayer will not travel with the Red Sox to their next away series against the San Diego Padres, his hometown team, from August 8-10, so he'll be out of commission until August 11 at the earliest.
Carlos Narváez sitting for Red Sox's series finale against Royals after injury scare
The Red Sox had possibly their worst injury scare of the season on August 5 against the Royals. As he ran out a ground ball, Carlos Narváez began limping. The catcher walked back to the Red Sox dugout after he was thrown out and slammed his helmet on the ground before talking with trainers.
Narváez played out the rest of the game, but is not in the lineup on August 6. Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports that he has a "sore knee," but the nature of his injury hasn't been made public. Healey also noted that Narváez was limping before Boston's series finale against Kansas City.
If Narváez's injury is serious and he needs an injured list stint, it would be disastrous for the Red Sox. Boston's catching depth is frightfully thin, with Connor Wong as its backup in the major leagues and Seby Zavala and Chadwick Tromp in Triple-A. The Red Sox neglected to add another backup catcher at the trade deadline, and it may come back to haunt them sooner than they could've imagined.
Red Sox expect reliever Justin Slaten back from IL soon
Reliever Justin Slaten has been on the injured list since May 29 with shoulder inflammation that was actually a nerve issue caused by an abnormal bone in his neck. Boston eventually placed him on the 60-day IL to free up a 40-man roster spot, and he became eligible to come off it on July 28.
The Red Sox may be ready to activate Slaten soon, as he threw his first bullpen session off the mound at Fenway Park on August 5. There is no official timeline for his return to the roster, but Slaten said he's "a lot closer to getting back in action than people realize right now."
Slaten pitched to a 3.47 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and seven walks in 23.1 innings. The setup man will be a huge boost to the Sox's bullpen, especially after their underwhelming trade deadline and Jorge Alcala's designation for assignment.