Jake Peavy might want to roll himself up in bubble wrap until his next start. Just in case, because two other players involved in the three-team trade between the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox have suffered season-ending injuries.
White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia injured his left shoulder while attempting to make a diving catch during Wednesday’s 10-4 loss to the Rockies. The play occurred in the sixth inning as Garcia dove for DJ LeMahieu’s sinking liner to right field and jammed his glove hand into the turf. X-rays taken after the game were negative, but an MRI exam on Thursday morning revealed a torn labrum. Garcia will undergo surgery to repair the injury and that will end his 2014 season.
Garcia joins Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias in suffering a season-ending injury. While the stress fractures Iglesias sustained in both of his shins haven’t officially sidelined him for the year, he’s expected to miss the entire season.
Garcia, 22, caught the attention of many observers during the 2012 postseason when he batted .455 with a 1.000 OPS in the ALDS against the Yankees. He was projected to be part of a promising young outfield for the White Sox this season.
Since joining the team, he has a .298 batting average with a .782 OPS, seven home runs and 25 RBI. He hit his first two home runs of the year on Tuesday, one day before suffering his shoulder injury. Going into Thursday’s game versus the Indians, the White Sox led the AL with 54 runs scored, averaging six per game.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters, including the Chicago Tribune‘s Colleen Kane, that Garcia is expected to be fully recovered by spring training next year and considers the outfielder an important piece of the team’s future. For now, however, Garcia’s injury presents an opportunity for Dayan Viciedo, who was on the trade block during the offseason. Thus far, he’s batting .316 with an .812 OPS in 23 plate appearances. Jordan Danks was called up from Triple-A Charlotte to take Garcia’s spot on the active roster.
Reliever Brayan Villarreal was the fourth player involved in the three-team deal. He’s currently pitching for the Red Sox’s Triple-A team in Pawtucket and might want to be very careful from here on out. He hasn’t appeared in a game since April 7. Perhaps that’s for his own good.
[MLB.com]
