For the Boston Red Sox, the first half of the season has been both unexpected and disappointing. The Red Sox performed admirably considering how far away they were from home, winning 7 of their first 10 games during the team’s West Coast road trip to start the season.
But they lost seven out of ten when they went back home to compete at Fenway Park, reversing their previous winning streak. Aside from the on-field outcomes, the Red Sox have a plethora of injuries, including power hitter Tyler O’Neill suffering symptoms similar to a concussion.
The Red Sox did not spend a lot of money on free agency in the offseason, but they did acquire O’Neill to play outfield. In addition to being a superb defensive player, O’Neill has shown he has been able to hit with power on a consistent basis.
Through his first 15 games with the Red Sox, O’Neill is slashing .313/.459/.750 while bashing a team-leading 7 home runs. However, O’Neill has been out of action since Monday when he collided with Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers. The two biggest hitters on the Red Sox were chasing a pop up near the left field foul line, and neither one backed off in their pursuit of the ball. As a result, the two men hit their heads together.
Devers seemed to be in considerable pain as he fell to the ground face first. He was on the ground for around two minutes, but he was able to stand up on his own and escaped with no head injuries.
O’Neill was less fortunate; after suffering a cut, he began exhibiting symptoms similar to a concussion. He left the game right away, and he hasn’t been in the Boston starting lineup ever since.
The Red Sox placed O’Neill on the 7-day injured list. The Red Sox are going to Pittsburgh for a three-game series over the weekend, but he will not be eligible to play in that series. However, the Red Sox will follow the series in Pittsburgh with a three-game set in Cleveland against the Guardians. He may be able to come off the injured list for that series if his concussion symptoms relent.
Tyler O’Neill said he has been diagnosed with a concussion. The symptoms he has faced include dealing with dizziness and brain fog. O’Neill reported Thursday that he is starting to feel better. He is traveling with the team to continue his treatment. He has hope that he will be able to return to action next week, but it depends on his overall progress.
The Red Sox have had a series of injuries. Devers has been dealing with shoulder and knee issues throughout the first 20 games of the season. Shortstop Trevor Story suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the opening road trip. Pitcher Nick Pivetta suffered mild elbow flexor strain but he will have a bullpen session Saturday. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Pivetta has turned a corner and is doing well.
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