MLB Injury Updates: Contreras Hits IL, Wood and Judge Eye Returns

The Boston Red Sox have placed veteran first baseman Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. The move comes after Contreras was removed from Sunday’s contest against the New York Yankees with tightness in the leg. Reports indicate the 34-year-old has been managing the issue for roughly a month, which may have contributed to his .217 batting average in August. To fill the roster spot, Boston recalled Mickey Gasper, who will see time at first base while Contreras rests.

On the positive side for the Washington Nationals, top prospect James Wood appears poised to rejoin the team shortly. Wood has been sidelined since August 4 with a left oblique strain but showed progress over the weekend, participating in batting practice on Friday and hitting a home run in a rehab game with Double-A Harrisburg on Sunday. Manager Blake Butera indicated that Wood could return during the upcoming two-game series against the Braves, potentially as early as Tuesday or Wednesday. Additionally, the Nationals are monitoring shortstop CJ Abrams, who was scratched from Monday’s lineup with back tightness, though the move is considered precautionary.

In New York, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is nearing a comeback from a rib fracture that has kept him out since early June. Manager Aaron Boone stated that Judge could be activated during the team’s upcoming homestand, which begins on September 8 against the Colorado Rockies. It appears that Judge will forgo a minor league rehab assignment and return directly to the active roster.

These roster moves come as the league prepares for a significant shift in broadcasting rights. As highlighted in the report, NBC and Peacock are set to become the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball starting in 2026. The deal will also include the “MLB Sunday Leadoff,” the Wild Card round of the postseason, and other primetime matchups. Comcast Corporation, the parent company of NBCUniversal, currently trades with a market capitalization of approximately $96 billion. In trading today, shares are down 1.7%.

What to watch

• Official activation dates for James Wood and Aaron Judge.
• Updates on CJ Abrams’s back stiffness prior to Tuesday’s game.
• The length of Contreras’s stay on the injured list.

Source: original release