Kevin Youkilis To The 15-Day DL

[Elite]

The Boston Red Sox will place Kevin Youkilis on the 15-day disabled list with a sore back Thursday and call up Triple-A catcher Ryan Lavarnway to take his spot, manager Terry Francona said on Boston sports radio WEEI.

Youkilis had missed several games over the last week with the nagging injury.

"(Youkilis') lower back has been bothering him for a while," said Francona, who added that Youkilis stayed back in Boston to have an injection in the area.

Lavarnway has 30 homers between the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs and Triple-A PawSox this season, hitting .293 overall. He's hitting .301 in 55 games with Pawtucket but has struggled this month. He is just 5-for-44 in August, though three of the hits have been homers.

Francona wasted no time putting Lavarnway in the lineup, hitting him seventh in the designated hitter spot for Thursday night's game against the Royals. Regular DH David Ortiz is out with a heel injury. He said Wednesday he thought he would miss about a week.

ESPN

Going to be a big blow to the Red Sox down the stretch. Going to need to replace his offense if they want to take the division.

 

[elcheato]

I don't think winning the division is that important for either the Red Sox or Yankees to be honest.. Home field advantage is over stated.

 

[bosoxlover12]

LAVARNAWAY!!

We need a new trainer tho. Too many injuries in a 2 year span

 

[Elite]

I don't think winning the division is that important for either the Red Sox or Yankees to be honest.. Home field advantage is over stated.

Winning the division is a factor in deciding who you play in the playoffs, no?

I'm sure both the Yankees and the Sox would rather play the AL Central than the AL West. LA and Texas > Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago.

 

[elcheato]

Both teams are good enough to beat anyone in the playoffs in the AL.. But either team could lose to anyone as well. I mean, obviously you would prefer to play the Indians/Tigers/White Sox then the Rangers, but it's just not as important as its made out to be, at least in my opinion..

 

[cruzg24]

The Red Sox will be fine, they have a lot of depth and someone is going to step it up. And besides with the type of pitching the Sox have, that can make up for it.