Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Confirms Adam Duvall Has Fracture in Wrist, Placed in IL

Boston manager Alex Cora confirmed the bad news on Monday that center fielder Adam Duvall has a fracture in his wrist and will miss ''week.'' Duvall was off to a torrid start for the Red Sox, hitting .455 with four homers and 14 RBIs.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Adam Duvall has had a lot to do the Boston's hot start offensively, hitting .455 with four home runs and 14 RBIs, both tied for the league lead. But the Red Sox will have to move on without him ''for weeks'' after manager Alex Cora confirmed Monday that he has a fracture in his wrist and will miss time.

The Red Sox placed him on the injured list Monday, just ahead of a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays. Duvall has been a big part of Boston's 5-4 start. Bobby Dalbec has been called up to take his spot on the roster, and Cora said there's going to be plenty of shuffling in the Red Sox lineup, both offensively and defensively.

"If there's going to be a procedure needed, we don't know,'' Cora said. "He's going for more tests, and we'll know more soon. It's a fracture, though, so it's going to be weeks.''

Duvall, 34, suffered a distal radius fracture, something that typically takes four weeks or more to heal. Cora said ''it was the other side'' of left wrist that he broke last year and required surgery. Cora said more imaging will be done on Duvall, who was getting tested in Boston and didn't come on the trip to Florida.

The right-handed hitting Duvall, a Louisville, Ky., native, suffered the injury in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 4-1 win over Detroit, landing awkwardly on his wrist while trying to make a diving catch. 

Duvall, who's in his 10th year in the big leagues, spent the past two years in Atlanta and didn't do much. He hit just .213 a year ago — he's a .233 career hitter — and not a lot was expected when he arrived with the Red Sox.

But he's been their best hitter so far. Guys have been getting on base ahead of him, and he's been driving them in. 

"It's interesting, because a few weeks ago not to many people thought he was going to be a big blow,'' Cora said. "But the guy is a good player. When we signed him, we knew he would be a good defender and he would give us good at-bats.

"It's a big blow, and somebody else is going to have to step up. It's early in the season, and we've got time to do our thing. We need to keep playing good baseball like we did this past weekend — (they swept Detroit) — and somebody else has to step up. That's the nature of the business, right?''

Kiki Hernandez, who has been playing shortstop this season, has experience in center field, too. Cora said that he's already talked to him about going back out there, depending on matchups. Ramiel Tapia also has plenty of experience in center field.

Backup infielder Yu Chang should see more time at shortstop now too, with Hernandez part of the moving pieces. Cora is confident that Dalbec can play short as well, if needed.

"We have a lot of versatility on our roster, so that will come in handy now,'' Cora said. "Bobby has been here, and he will give us good at-bats. Plus, he's a right-handed bat and we're going to see left-handers eight times in the next nine games. We're going to see him out there.''

Dalbec debuted with the Red Sox in 2020 and hit .263 in 23 games. He had 25 homers and 78 RBIs in his first full season, but really struggled a year ago, hitting .215 with 118 strikeouts in 317 at-bats. He hit only 12 homers.

He started this season at Triple-A Pawtucket, and he's happy to be back up with the big club. He's prepared to contribute, wherever and whenever that may be.  

 "I talked to Alex and he told me just to stay ready, to just go do my job,'' Dalbec said the Red Sox clubhouse prior to the game. "I've been working on some things, and I keep more of a structured notebook now and everything is going good.''

The Red Sox open a four-game series with the unbeaten Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. Nick Pivetta gets the start for Boston. He gave up three runs — but just one earned — in his first start, a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh. Pivetta was 0-3 against the Rays last year in four starts.

The Rays are using an opener on Monday for the first time this season, with Jalen Beeks getting the start. He's expected to go two innings based on pitch count and effectiveness, with Josh Fleming, who stuggled in a start last week, expected to get bulk innings behind him.

The game starts at 6:40 p.m. ET