Jarren Duran was officially reinstated by the Red Sox on Wednesday after serving his two-game suspension for a homophobic remark.
In addition, the club placed left-hander Cam Booser on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation of his left elbow, recalled fellow left-hander Brennan Bernardino from Triple-A to take his place in the bullpen, and sent infielder Enmanuel Valdez to Worcester to make room for Duran.
Speaking to reporters before the game, Duran said the last few days have been tough, but he has to deal with his mistake. Although he is excited to be back on the field, he noted that he still has a lot of work ahead of him.
“I feel like it’s probably a step in the right direction, but it’s still something that I feel terrible about and I’m going to do a better job of being better for myself and everyone around me,” Duran said.
Duran had played in each of Boston’s first 116 games of the season before being suspended. The outfielder was one of Boston’s best players and entered Wednesday with a .291 batting average with 29 stolen bases and an OPS of .853.
Booser has developed into one of Boston’s most reliable left-handers since making his MLB debut earlier this season at age 31. Since his call-up, Booser has posted a 3.00 ERA in 41 major league games, but manager Alex Cora said he felt something in his elbow during his first at-bat on Tuesday.
“He said he felt it right away,” Cora said. “He tried to push through, which obviously wasn’t good for him or good for us, but I respect the fact that he tried. In cases like this, sometimes trying to push makes things worse for the patient. So he’s getting treatment and hopefully it’s something he’ll get back on his feet after sooner rather than later.”
Bernardino was optioned to Triple-A on Monday as part of a series of roster moves to reshuffle the pitching staff after a chaotic weekend, but his stay in Worcester was short-lived. The 32-year-old has posted a 3.83 ERA in 43 appearances this season, but Bernardino has struggled recently, allowing 11 earned runs in 8.0 innings in 10 appearances since the All-Star break.
Valdez has a .224 batting average with six home runs and a .682 OPS in 59 MLB games this season. The infielder had a great performance Monday night, hitting a tying double in the bottom of the 10th inning and setting up Rob Refsnyder’s eventual walk-off single.
Valdez likely to return soon
The decision to option Valdez instead of the far less experienced Mickey Gasper seemed a bit instantaneous at first glance, but Cora said the move was a result of the current roster situation. There was also a time component involved, with Cora saying the option now allows Valdez to meet the 15-day requirement in the minors to be eligible to return when the roster expands on Sept. 1.
“Valdy is obviously a good pinch hitter, we’re well-positioned in the middle right now. We’re facing a couple of right-handed hitters, so the right-hander will help as a backup, and if we get Tyler, you probably know what decision is going to be made,” Cora said, referring to Gasper’s likely option for O’Neill. “I think that makes sense for September, right? The sooner the better. If you want Valdy for September, he’ll be available.”
Additional innings
Nick Pivetta (arm fatigue) is feeling good after his recent bullpen and will start Thursday in the series opener in Baltimore. … Cooper Criswell (COVID-19) is expected to rejoin the club in Baltimore, and if he’s OK, the hope is he can start Friday. … Triston Casas (torn cartilage in left rib cage) will not fly with the team to Baltimore. His rehab assignment expires during the club’s subsequent series in Houston. … NESN’s Tom Caron and former Red Sox infielder Brock Holt were officially announced Wednesday as the new co-chairs of the Jimmy Fund. Holt is a former captain of the Jimmy Fund and Caron is a cancer survivor.
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