Moreland hurts knee on sliding catch attempt
BOSTON -- Mitch Moreland's day in the sun didn't last very long as he suffered a left knee contusion in the Red Sox's 7-0 victory over the Indians at Fenway Park on Thursday.
In the top of the first inning, the Boston first baseman looked to make a play on a Yandy Diaz foul that was popped up along the first-base side, but in the sliding attempt, his leg made contact with the cement base that runs along the camera well.
Following the game, Moreland admitting to being "a little sore" but said the pain was much sharper around the time of impact.
As part of ongoing improvements at Fenway Park, additional seating was extended toward the first-base line in the offseason, which included the camera well adjacent to the Boston dugout and the cement foundation for the railings in front of those areas.
"The concrete ledge on the field, I hit the outside of it pretty good," he explained. "It's getting better but it's a little sore."
Though slow to get up, the Red Sox All-Star remained in the game until his first at-bat in the bottom of the first, after his high fly to left field turned into a bloop single when Melky Cabrera lost the ball in the sun.
After reaching first base, Moreland was visited by manager Alex Cora and a team athletic trainer, at which point he was removed and replaced by Blake Swihart, who remained in the game at first base.
"Mitch has a bruise on his left knee. He's day by day -- we'll see how he goes on the weekend," Cora said after the game. "I was planning on staying away from him tomorrow [vs. the Rays] anyways. He should be fine."
Last offseason, Moreland had surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus, and residual soreness has forced him to sit at times throughout this season, though he did say after the game that the injuries are not related.