Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer could be close to returning while Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedrioa and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez were injured over the weekend and could miss time.
Hosmer was hit on the hand by Jon Lester on July 20 and suffered a fracture, but it was undiagnosed. Originally thought to be a bruised hand, Hosmer attempted to return prematurely 11 days after the injury and aggravated his hand during an at-bat, and it was discovered shortly thereafter he indeed suffered a stress fracture.
He's been out since July 31 and it was last reported on August 25 that he was able to swing a bat, but couldn't hit batting practice. The team is taking their time with Hosmer's rehab process because they don't want him to re-injure himself and potentially lose him for the rest of the season. According to Dick Kaegel of MLB.com, "Hosmer is making such good progress that the Royals might get him on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment this weekend. The first baseman took live batting practice during Thursday's pregame workout with no apparent difficulty."
The Milwaukee Brewers, also in playoff contention, could lose Carlos Gomez for some time after the center fielder left Sunday's game with left wrist soreness. The NL Central leaders don't expect to lose Gomez for long after X-rays came back negative, but the injury has bothered him for a while and it could persist as the postseason approaches. If that's the case, the Brewers traded with the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder Gerardo Parra, who will provide as a sufficient fill-in for the 28-year-old Gomez.
As the Royals and Brewers look to cope with injuries to significant players, the Red Sox's dismal season continues to get worse. Boston sits in last place in the AL East and now they might lose Dustin Pedroia for some time after he was elbowed in the head making a play at second base on Saturday night in Tampa Bay. The team said Pedroia had "symptoms consistent with a concussion" after his exit and if that's the case, he'll likely be placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list. The team has Pedroia listed as day-to-day and continue to evaluate him.
"He's improved as the night has gone on here," said manager John Farrell on Saturday night, in this ESPN article. "Not as dizzy as he was when he first came off. But we'll take every precaution necessary with Dustin."
