Xander Bogaerts exits after collision with Alex Verdugo

Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) falls over left fielder Alex Verdugo (99) during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park. Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts leaves game after collision with Alex Verdugo

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 5/21/22

Xander Bogaerts left Friday night’s Boston Red Sox’s 7-3 win over the Seattle Mariners after getting hurt in a collision with teammate Alex Verdugo.

Boston was leading 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning with one out and J.P. Crawford at the plate. Crawford hit a fly ball to shallow left field.

Bogaerts drifted back to try to make the catch. As he backpedaled, he collided with Verdugo, who slid to try to make the catch.

Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo both stayed in the game after a scary collision pic.twitter.com/mshhWZap0U

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 21, 2022

That looked bad.

Bogaerts stayed in for the rest of the top of the eighth, but he was lifted for pinch hitter Franchy Cordero in the bottom half of the inning.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora later said that Bogaerts was day-to-day with lower-back discomfort.

Cora on Bogaerts: Lower back discomfort. Day-to-day.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) May 21, 2022

Bogaerts went 0-for-2 with a walk and run scored before exiting the game. He’s batting .326 with an .853 OPS this season.

The Red Sox got a lift from Trevor Story, who hit a grand slam a day after his three-homer game. Previously a disappointment, Story is finally coming alive for Boston and has knocked in 27 runs this season.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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