The Los Angeles Angels and Red Sox will wrap up their three-game series Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif., and Boston will go forward this season without starting shortstop Trevor Story.
Tests on Saturday confirmed Story has a dislocated left shoulder, the injury occurring Friday when he made a diving back-handed attempt to field a one-hopper hit by the Angels’ Mike Trout.
Pablo Reyes replaced Story on Friday and was the starting shortstop in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Angels, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Whether Reyes will be the club’s primary shortstop in Story’s absence remains to be seen.
Story will see the team doctor on Monday in Boston to determine if he will need surgery and how long he will be out. As for now, the shortstop is on the 10-day injured list.
“I think we’ve seen the impact of his defense on the team, on the pitching staff, on the outcomes of games,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said of Story. “It’s early, and we still have a lot of information to gather, but I think more than anything, I just feel for Trevor and the road that he’s taken to get back here and to put himself in a position to impact our club.
“So I think in addition to how it affects our team, obviously he’s a guy that wants to be out there. (He’s) really competitive and I think tired of the injuries.”
Story signed a six-year, $140 million contract with Boston before the 2022 season but has been plagued by injuries. A fractured right wrist limited him to 94 games in 2022, and his missed the first four months of last season after undergoing right elbow surgery.
Reyes played two seasons with the Pirates and two with the Brewers and now is in his second season with the Red Sox. But he’s never played in more than 71 games in a season. The Red Sox have recalled shortstop David Hamilton from Triple-A Worcester to take Story’s place on the roster.
Right-hander Tanner Houck (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start of the season Sunday for Boston. He was impressive in his first start, shutting out the Oakland A’s on three hits in six innings in his team’s 9-0 victory Monday. Houck struck out 10 and walked none.
He is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA in four career games (two starts) versus the Angels.
Right-hander Chase Silseth (0-0, 9.00) will start for the Angels on Sunday, coming off a no-decision in which he lasted just three innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks against the Miami Marlins on Monday.
Silseth is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA lifetime against Boston, earning the victory with two scoreless innings of relief last May.
Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel walked in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game, which would have extended his on-base streak to 36 games to start his major league career. However, Major League Baseball announced a scoring change from March 30, the Angels’ second game of the season in Baltimore — an infield hit was changed to an error by Orioles pitcher Mike Baumann.
The result is Schanuel’s streak ended at 30 games.
“It’s disappointing, but it’s time to move on,” he said. “I’ve got bigger goals. Win more games and I’m always focused on the team. It’s my No. 1 priority.”
Angels manager Ron Washington wasn’t so diplomatic.
“I don’t think it was right,” he said. “What’s most important is winning ballgames, but I would’ve liked to see his streak continue.”
–Field Level Media