On Monday, manager Alex Cora informed reporters (via Ian Browne's tweet) that Adam Duvall, the center fielder for the Red Sox, has suffered a distal radius fracture in his left wrist. As a result, he will be put on the 10-day injured list initially and is expected to be out of action for a few weeks.
Recall that during Sunday's 4-1 triumph over the Tigers, he incurred a distal radius fracture in his left wrist while trying to make a diving catch in center field. After Sunday's game, Duvall received X-rays at Comerica Park and was assessed by a hand specialist in Boston on Monday. The Red Sox then announced the preliminary diagnosis.
After losing 1-0 to the undefeated Rays on Monday night, with the absence of Duvall's mighty swing, Red Sox manager Alex Cora disclosed that the 34-year-old will not require surgery. Cora stated, "It's only a fracture. No surgery is needed. We'll put a cast on it and allow it to heal naturally. Whenever he's prepared, he'll return."
Although Cora informed reporters that Duvall would not need surgery, the team has not established a precise timeline for his recuperation. Bobby Dalbec, an infielder from Triple-A Worcester, has taken Duvall's place, while Rob Refsnyder, a utilityman, played in center field for tonight's game.
After making a diving catch in the outfield, Duvall had to leave the game due to an apparent injury on his left wrist, which he had surgery on and ended his season a year ago. He has been one of the best hitters for the Red Sox and the entire league, with a batting line of .455/.514/1.030 and four home runs in 37 plate appearances at the start of the season.
Although Duvall, a career .233/.292/.472 hitter, cannot be expected to maintain his current pace, but there are still positive developments in his early performances this season. Notably, he has achieved a 25.6% chase rate on pitches off the plate, which is the lowest of his career and a ten percentage point improvement from his career average. Additionally, his 85.5% contact rate is significantly higher than his career mark of 74.2%. These improvements have led to a reduced strikeout rate of 13.5%, less than half his career average of 28.3%.
Due to Duvall's absence, Refsnyder and Raimel Tapia will likely take charge in center field. Refsnyder will have the opportunity to showcase his skills tonight as the Sox go against the unbeaten Rays and their left-handed pitcher, Jalen Beeks. In the future, Tapia, who is left-handed, is expected to receive most of the playing time in what appears to be a traditional platoon. If the Sox decide to move Hernandez from the infield to the outfield, he could also be considered for the center field position.
Duvall is facing a difficult situation with his injury, as it not only puts a stop to his impressive beginning to the season but also affects the terms of his contract. As a free agent at the end of the season, Duvall signed a one-year deal worth $7MM last winter, expecting a strong and fruitful season to secure a multi-year contract next year. Additionally, his contract includes incentives of up to $3M based on his plate appearances.
Duvall earns bonuses totaling $2.5 million if he reaches 350, 400, 450, and 500 plate appearances and an additional $1 million bonus for achieving 550 trips to the plate. However, due to his broken wrist, it is unlikely that he will reach the highest bonus tier. Nevertheless, if he recovers quickly, he may still have a shot at reaching the first few milestones.