E-Rod's injury 'serious' but won't need surgery

BOSTON -- After spraining his right ankle in a collision at first base against the Blue Jays, Eduardo Rodriguez has been placed on the 10-day disabled list, a decision Red Sox manager Alex Cora said was not influenced by the upcoming All-Star break.
Rodriguez underwent medical tests during Boston's 5-2 win over the Blue Jays on Sunday and was found to have "serious" ligament damage, according to Cora. Rodriguez will not need surgery, but he will wear a boot for two weeks before being re-evaluated.
"No matter if I was pitching good or bad, I just want to be out there pitching with them and be with the team," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez sustained the injury during the sixth inning of Saturday's 10th-inning win against the Blue Jays, on a collision at first base with Toronto's Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who went on the 7-day concussion DL as a result.
Although he said his ankle was feeling slightly better Sunday, how long Rodriguez will be out remains uncertain.
The loss is the latest blow to the Red Sox's stretched-thin depth. Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright are making slow recoveries, straining the rest of the bullpen. And with Dustin Pedroia likely out for the season, Cora had to get creative among his position players.
"We've been tested the whole season, and we are where we are," Cora said. "Brock [Holt] and Eduardo [Nunez] have done a good job at second base without Pedroia. Pitching wise, Hector [Velazquez] and [Brian Johnson] have done a good job, and they'll have to keep doing a good job throughout the season for this to happen."
Yet the Red Sox keep excelling, winning 11 of their last 12 games despite injuries and a struggling bullpen. Cora said attributed their continued success to players called up from Triple-A Pawtucket replenishing the bullpen, and batters later in the lineup hitting their stride -- like Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts, who hit a walk-off grand slam in Saturday's win.

As they buckle down Sunday with their still-healthy lineup and enter the second half of the season, the upcoming break is a welcome one.
"The All-Star break is coming at a perfect time," Cora said. "But yeah, health, we've got to stay healthy. That's the most important thing."
Moreland ready for All-Star experience
Mitch Moreland's mentality can be summed up by his silence: Keep your head down, and work hard.
Moreland, who returned to the Red Sox's lineup for their final game of the first half against the Blue Jays on Sunday, is anything but outspoken about his accomplishments. But his quiet, on-the-field excellence has been recognized in the form of a spot in the 2018 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard.
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"It's exciting, something that I'll definitely cherish," Moreland said.
But the All-Star Game is not what excites Moreland most about traveling to D.C. Instead, it's the Home Run Derby -- when he can bring his son on the field.
"I'm looking forward to doing that with my son, my eldest, and he's looking forward to it, too," Moreland said.
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The father-son moment will be the pinnacle in a stretch of baseball that will no doubt leave Moreland exhausted by the end, according to other players he's asked. Through that time, he has two priorities: staying healthy, and relishing the achievement.
A feat he accomplished by playing his way. No talking, just performing.
"That's kind of the way I try to go about my business," Moreland said. "Keep my head down, work hard, try to do the right stuff. For that to be recognized is definitely an honor, and humbling, and something I don't take lightly."