Red Sox Devers won’t need surgery, should be ready for spring training
BOSTON — Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers said Sunday that he won’t need surgery and expects to be ready for spring training, a day after he was placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation.
Devers, who turns 28 on Oct. 24, said his shoulders — mostly the left — have bothered him since spring training. He finalized a 10-year contract with the Red Sox in January 2023 that is worth $313.5 million. He batted .272 with 28 homers and 83 RBI in 138 games this season. The three-time All-Star leads AL third basemen with 12 errors.
“It never stopped hurting me and I never felt like myself this year,” Devers said through a team translator after Boston defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-1 in the opener of a split doubleheader.
“Obviously, it was good news that it was nothing serious and I just need to get ready for next year,” Devers said.
He’s expected to remain with the team for a while and work on a recovery program for his shoulders when he returns home to the Dominican Republic.
“I believe I’ll be at full strength for spring training,” he said.
Devers left Friday night’s 12-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins in the top of the 11th after going 1-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Kodai Senga (triceps) won’t return for Mets in regular season
NEW YORK — Mets pitcher Kodai Senga felt tightness in his right triceps during a minor league rehab outing and won’t pitch during the regular season.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday the 31-year-old right-hander might throw a bullpen session and remains a possibility for the postseason.
Senga pitched a hitless inning with a walk and two strikeouts for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday night in his first rehab outing since straining his left calf in his season debut on July 26. He threw eight of 15 pitches for strikes.
“He felt like he could continue to pitch, but he just wanted to play it safe,” Mendoza said. “It’s been a hard year for him. He’s worked his tail off. You feel for him. Every time he wants to push it and he wants to take the baseball, then he’s dealing with something. Hopefully this is nothing serious but it’s going to set him back a little bit as far as game competition at the big league level.”
Senga joined the Mets ahead of the 2023 season for a $75 million, five-year contract and became an All-Star in his first season. He went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Feb. 15 an MRI revealed a capsule strain in the pitching shoulder, a scan performed after Senga twice expressed having shoulder fatigue following throwing sessions.
Senga made four minor league rehab starts from July 3-20. He allowed two runs and two hits over 5⅓ innings against Atlanta on July, leaving with the calf strain after his 102nd pitch. Senga struck out nine and retired his last 10 batters.
“He’s a competitor and he knows that we are a better team if he’s healthy,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to continue to try everything that he can in his power to be available for us.”
