BOSTON -- Shortstop Xander Bogaerts was scratched from the Red Sox's lineup before Tuesday night's 15-inning, 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays due to a right hand injury.
The shortstop went for an MRI on the hand before Tuesday's game. Bogaerts left a July 6 game against the Rays after being drilled by an inside pitch from starter Jacob Faria. He returned to the lineup two days later, but his production has been down since.
"Where he was hit on the right hand, that's been nagging him," Red Sox manager John Farrell said before the game. "You look at the way that he's swinging the bat as of late, set aside the production or numbers, it's affecting how aggressively he can swing. You see his top hand release earlier than normal, so as he's been dealing with this as best as possible, we sent him for an MRI late this afternoon."
The shortstop is just 4-for-26 since the incident.
Bogaerts pinch-ran for Sandy Leon in the 11th in Tuesday's win. Farrell said the club hopes that the shortstop's status is day to day following the MRI.
Worth noting
• Carson Smith threw a bullpen session Tuesday and will be joining the team for the rest of the week, including the trip to Anaheim for a three-game weekend series. The plan is for Smith to throw to Red Sox hitters over the weekend.
• Blake Swihart will start working out at first base and third base while continuing to deal with an ankle issue that prevents him from catching regularly. Swihart has been on the Triple-A Pawtucket's disabled list with ankle inflammation since July 5.