The injury bug just keeps biting the Red Sox first baseman. According to the teams official Twitter account, the Boston Red Sox have placed platoon first baseman Steve Pearce on the 10-day injured list with a strained back. In a corresponding move, the Red Sox promoted Sam Travis from the Pawtucket Red Sox to the active roster.
Prior to tonight’s game, the #RedSox placed 1B/OF Steve Pearce on the 10-day injured list with a low back strain.
To fill Pearce’s spot on the active 25-man roster, the club recalled 1B/OF Sam Travis from Triple-A Pawtucket.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 1, 2019
Steve Pearce Added to 10-Day Injured List, Sam Travis Promoted
Steve Pearce initially suffered his injury in the Friday’s game against the New York Yankees. The right-handed slugger started the game at first and went 0-1 with a popout in the first inning. Pearce never returned to the field following the at-bat, as rookie sensation Michael Chavis took over the rest of the way. During the game, the team announced Pearce was day-to-day with a back injury.
This move only further hurts the Red Sox depth at first base. Mitch Moreland is currently battling an injury of his own, meaning that Chavis and Travis are the only first basemen on the 40-man roster. This hasn’t been a great year for Pearce, as the righty is hitting just .180/.245/.258 with a 30 wRC+ in 99 plate appearances. He’s striking out 30% of the time and has just one home run through the first two months of the season.
Sam Travis started the season on the major league roster but has spent the majority of the year with AAA Pawtucket. The longtime Red Sox prospect recorded just seven major league at-bats this year, recording two singles and no walks for a .286/.286/.286 slash line. Travis initially made his major league debut during the 2017 season and has 54 professional plate appearances to his name. During his time in the majors, Travis has compiled a .252/.305/.353 slash line with a 73 wRC+.
Pearce’s injury comes at an inconvenient time, as the Red Sox are in the midst of a series with their dreaded rival, the New York Yankees. New York currently holds an 8.5-game lead over the Red Sox following their 4-1 victory on Friday.
