FORT MYERS, Fla. — Last Wednesday Red Sox second baseman Brendan Rodgers left the club’s game against the Twins with a right shoulder injury, and since then the former Gold Glover has undergone several tests to figure out what’s wrong.
Alex Cora said those tests didn’t come back the way the club hoped, and while Rodgers is flying to see Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles for another opinion, Cora believes surgery will most likely be necessary.
“The MRI and CT scan wasn’t positive from his end so he’ll seek that opinion over there,” Cora said. “Most likely he’s going to end up in surgery. What type of surgery? I don’t know. We’ll wait and see what he has to say but that’s probably what’s going to happen.”
A 29-year-old infielder, Rodgers has spent seven seasons in the big leagues and won a Gold Glove in 2022 while a member of the Colorado Rockies. Rodgers has endured multiple significant injuries to both of his shoulders throughout his career and was limited to 43 games last year with the Houston Astros, first due to an oblique strain and then to a severe concussion and other injuries sustained in a horrific collision during a rehab outing.
This spring Rodgers was trying to make the Red Sox as a non-roster invitee, but with this latest setback he will almost certainly start the season on the injured list.
Extra innings
Roman Anthony was in the starting lineup for Team USA in their first exhibition against the San Francisco Giants. Anthony batted seventh, right behind AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh and just ahead of Twins star Byron Buxton. … Connelly Early will start Friday’s game against the Tigers in Lakeland. The Red Sox haven’t decided who will start Thursday against the Phillies in Clearwater, but it won’t be Sonny Gray, who will stay back in Fort Myers and make his scheduled start on the back fields. … According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and others, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar is facing a season-long suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Profar will reportedly appeal, but if the discipline is upheld it would mark Profar’s second suspension for PEDs in his career.
