Injuries & Moves: Updates on Hendriks, Casas and Mata
LATEST NEWS
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Bryan Mata (right lat strain)
Expected return: Mid-July
Mata went 2 1/3 innings in the fourth appearance of his latest rehab assignment on July 2, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. He threw 51 pitches (37 strikes). Mata's rehab assignment started on June 16 and can go a maximum of 30 days.
Mata, ranked as Boston's No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is out of options, meaning he needs to be placed on the Major League roster once he is healthy to avoid being designated for assignment. (Last updated: July 3)
2B Vaughn Grissom (right hamstring strain)
Expected return: July or August
Grissom is still trying to regain the strength in both of his hamstrings before he can be fast-tracked toward a return to action. Grissom, who missed the first 32 games of the season with a left hamstring strain, injured his right hamstring running out a grounder to third base on June 1.
"He’s moving a lot better," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "He ran the bases [earlier this week.] He's moving better, but no rehab assignment yet. We have to make sure, first things first, he's stronger. And then after that, we map it out.” (Last updated: June 29)
RHP Luis Perales (damaged right UCL; No. 9 on Red Sox Top 30 Prospects list)
Expected return: 2025
Perales injured his UCL ligament in his right elbow while making his second start after being promoted to Double-A Portland on June 8 and is currently on the 7-day Minor League injured list. Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed that Boston's No. 9 prospect, as rated by MLB Pipeline, has damage in the ligament.
At that point, it will be determined if Perales needs Tommy John surgery or an internal bracing procedure to repair the ligament. Perales had opened a lot of eyes this season, going 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in nine starts and striking out 56 in 33 2/3 innings. (Last updated: June 18)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Liam Hendriks (right UCL surgery)
Expected return: Late July/early August
Hendriks threw the first of three scheduled bullpen sessions July 3; he will also throw a session on July 5 and on July 7 in New York.
Hendriks is only throwing fastballs in his bullpens so far, per manager Alex Cora, who also said that Hendriks is "far off" from a rehab assignment, though Hendriks has expressed his hope to be activated close to the July 30 Trade Deadline. (Last updated: July 3)
1B Triston Casas (torn cartilage in left rib cage)
Expected return: After the All-Star break
After his June 24 MRI results came back clean, Casas took dry swings in the batting cage on June 26, then again on July 3. On June 28, he tracked pitches against the Trajekt machine, which mimics MLB pitchers. The next big step for Casas will be hitting the baseball in on-field batting practice, which has yet to happen. Casas is likely a couple of weeks away from starting a Minor League rehab assignment. (Last updated: July 3)
RHP Garrett Whitlock (damaged UCL in right elbow)
Expected return: 2025
Whitlock will not pitch again until some point in 2025 after he had his UCL repaired by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham, Ala., on May 30. On the bright side, the righty avoided Tommy John surgery and instead underwent an internal brace repair, a procedure that has become more frequent for pitchers with UCL injuries.
Whitlock had a 1-0 record and 1.96 ERA in four starts for the Red Sox this season. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 2. (Last updated: June 2)
SS Trevor Story (dislocated left shoulder)
Expected return: 2025
Story underwent surgery on April 12. According to a statement from the Red Sox, Story "underwent a successful arthroscopic repair of the posterior labrum, with an open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture of the glenoid rim. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache."
Story won't play again until next season. Story dislocated his shoulder diving for a ball on April 5 in Anaheim. He was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL on April 19. (Last updated: April 19)
LHP Chris Murphy (left UCL)
Expected Return: 2025
Murphy, who came up as a starter before being converted into a multi-inning reliever last season, underwent successful reconstruction of the left ulnar collateral ligament (elbow). Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery at Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery in Arlington. (Last updated: April 10)
RHP Lucas Giolito (right UCL surgery)
Expected Return: 2025
Giolito was moved to the 60-day injured list on March 24. He underwent surgery to repair his right elbow ulnar collateral ligament on March 12 after two Grapefruit League starts (4 1/3 innings). (Last updated: March 24)