Red Sox Notebook: Dalbec out with finger injury; Status of extension talks a mystery

As they battle through the COVID-19 minefield, the last thing the Red Sox need is any individual injury. When Bobby Dalbec was a last-minute scratch before Sunday's game with the Minnesota Twins, it immediately led to speculation that Dalbec might have been moved into the contact tracing protocol that began Saturday with the news that Matt Barnes had tested positive for the virus.

Before long, however, it was revealed that the move was a precautionary measure after Dalbec jammed his right index finger when a ball took a bad hop on him at first base in Saturday's game. He'll sit again Monday, but the expectation is that he'll be cleared to return for the spring training finale on Tuesday.

"There was a ground ball that came up,'' explained Alex Cora, "and he got hit with it. Actually, thank God it hit him in his hand; if not, it was going to hit him square in his face. We're being cautious. We've got a few more days here. If it's a regular season game, he's ready to play. He'll play Tuesday and be ready for Opening Day.''

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If the Red Sox are currently undertaking any contract extension talks with any of their players -- as commonly happens toward the end of spring training -- chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom isn't saying.

"I don't want to answer that question directly,'' Bloom said. "As you know, I just believe that these sort of things, unless you have something to announce, in my opinion, as least as far as the organization is concerned. Players can handle it however they please. But I just feel it's appropriate to respect the privacy of whatever talks may be going on.''

Third baseman Rafael Devers, a cornerstone to the Red Sox plans who is under club control through at least 2023, and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, who is eligible for free agency after this season, would be two of the most likely candidates for extensions.



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Rodriguez, who was scratched from his Opening Day assignment on Friday morning after experiencing a "dead arm'' in his last Grapefruit League outing, continues to make progress. He threw a bullpen Saturday and there are plans in place for another on Monday.

"It's more of a day-by-day thing,'' said Bloom. "He had a great day (Saturday), which is good. We continue to feel really good about this being just a short-term hiccup and making sure we take care of him. But as far as specifics on when we'll get him back out there (in a game), we don't have those yet.''

Rodriguez threw 36 pitches Saturday and may throw the same amount Monday, though with more intensity.

''We just want to make sure he's over this hump,'' said Cora. "He's saying that everything is great, but we have to make sure. Their bodies will let us know. In this particular case, with everything that happened last year, the communication is very important.''

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The Sox got a total of three homers in their 8-3 win over the Twins, including two on back-to-back pitches in the first inning from  Kiké Hernández and Franchy Cordero....The Sox also got a two-run homer from Cesar Puello...J.D. Martinez has two hits and two RBI...Catcher Christian Vazquez, who was cut in the face when he was struck by a ball Thursday, is improving and might take part in a "B" game against the Twins Monday...The win over the Twins gave the Red Sox a 4-2-1 record against their fellow Fort Myers inhabitants with one meeting between the two remaining, allowing the Red Sox to stake their claim as winners of the Chairman's Cup, given annually to the team which wins the most head-to-head spring meetings.