Boston’s Hanley Ramirez Injures Shoulder, Listed as Day-to-Day
Hanley Ramirez has been listed as day-to-day by the Boston Red Sox after he reinjured his shoulder on Monday. It will take a miracle for the left fielder of the Red Sox not to miss an extended period as his shoulder has already been repaired surgically twice in the past 8 years.
The most recent surgery was in 2011, which was more invasive than today’s arthroscopic surgeries. The infielder turned outfielder has been injury prone for much of his career.
Ramirez has not spared many body parts when it comes to injuries. He has injured his right thumb, right shoulder, left thigh, rib, left hand, left arm, left leg, right leg, right hand, right elbow and abdomen.
Over that period of injuries, he was on the disabled list three times, with a strained abdomen keeping him out 14 games, a strained hamstring 28 games and ligament surgery on his thumb that sidelined him 24 games.
Last season when Ramirez was healthy, he was clearly the best hitter the Los Angeles Dodgers had, and one of the best in the NL. However, he broke down so often he could not play his natural shortstop position any longer and that is why he was allowed to walk as a free agent by the Dodgers.
No one thought he would play at short again and his agent approached Boston and told them, Ramirez would play anywhere.
The thought was using him as a backup plan for third if Pablo Sandoval did not sign. However, after deciding to trade Yoenis Cespedes the Sox decided the best hitter they could sign to play left was Ramirez even it was a position he had never played.
It seemed when both he and Sandoval signed at almost the same time that Boston had put life back into its batting order.
For the first month of the season, signing Ramirez had paid off. He leads the team in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and hard-hit average.
However, with his injury the big question is how long he will be out and if this is just the start of him using a revolving door to go on and off the DL.
Some are worrying that even if Ramirez can come back quick, how willing is he going to be to return to play in front of the green monster after taking such a hit.
The Sox management hopes Ramirez will remain day-to-day, but time will tell. Christian Vazquez their catcher was day-to-day in spring training and he ended up needing to have Tommy John surgery.
Even with a healthy Ramirez in the lineup hitting well, the Sox were playing poorly and now are two games below .500. What will they be like without him?
