Red Sox Place David Hamilton On 10-Day Injured List
The Boston Red Sox placed middle infielder David Hamilton (finger) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a left index-finger fracture and recalled infielder/outfielder Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Hamilton suffered the injury in Wednesday's win over the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays when he attempted to bunt late in the game. The injury typically requires four to six weeks of rest, but the 26-year-old is hoping to return in two to three weeks to help the Red Sox at the tail end of the regular season. Sogard will return to the big-league roster and will be an option at the keystone in Boston, along with Romy Gonzalez and Mickey Gasper. Gasper is getting the nod at second on Thursday and will hit second against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis. Hamilton's injury is a tough break for Boston and fantasy managers, as he has 33 steals on the year as the team's primary second baseman.
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton (fingers, hand) left Wednesday's win over the Toronto Blue Jays early with discomfort in his left fingers/hand. When Hamilton put down a bunt in the eighth inning, the pitch hit some of the fingers on his left hand and he was eventually replaced by Mickey Gasper at second base when the Red Sox took the field in the top of the ninth inning. Manager Alex Cora didn't have an immediate update on Hamilton following the game, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. Don't be surprised if Hamilton isn't in the lineup for Thursday's contest at Fenway Park against the division rivals. The 26-year-old went 0-for-4 with a run scored in the 3-0 win. Hamilton has been a regular in 2024 for Boston at the keystone due to Vaughn Grissom's ongoing injury issues, and he's responded with 33 stolen bases in 294 at-bats.
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton will retreat to the bench on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park. With Hamilton starting on the bench, rookie Mickey Gasper will make the start at second base and will hit seventh for Boston versus Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen. Injuries to Trevor Story and Vaughn Grissom this year have thrust Hamilton into increased playing time in Boston, and he's responded with a .254/.308/.407 slash line with eight home runs, 27 RBI, 32 stolen bases and 44 runs scored in 280 total at-bats. His speed obviously plays in all fantasy formats. Hamilton has hit .280 (4-for-50) with three homers, four doubles, nine RBI and six stolen bases in 16 games in August. Gasper will be playing in just his fifth career game in the big leagues and is still searching for his first hit after drawing three walks and striking out once in four plate appearances.
Wilyer Abreu, David Hamilton Sitting Against Left-Hander
Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu and middle infielder David Hamilton will both take a seat on the bench on Monday against the Houston Astros and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi at Minute Maid Park. Rob Refsnyder is getting the start in left field and will hit third, while Romy Gonzalez is starting at the keystone and is batting fifth on Monday versus Kikuchi. Refsnyder could be a popular DFS play, albeit without much power. He's hitting .375 with an .819 OPS and two RBI in eight career at-bats against Kikuchi, plus he's also batting a cool .304 (31-for-102) with six of his eight home runs on the season against southpaws. Abreu has hit only .178 (8-for-45) with one of his 14 long balls on the year against lefties, while Hamilton has hit a similarly weak .222 (10-for-45) with one of his seven home runs against southpaws in 2024.
David Hamilton, Wilyer Abreu Sitting Versus Southpaw
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton and outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who both hit from the left side, will take a seat on Wednesday against the visiting Oakland Athletics with left-hander JP Sears on the mound. Jamie Westbrook will get the call to play the keystone and will hit eighth, while Rob Refsnyder draws into the lineup in left field while batting second for the BoSox. Boston sent Enmanuel Valdez to the minors on Tuesday, which basically assures the 26-year-old Hamilton of regular playing time at second base moving forward. His speed (23 stolen bases) makes him worth rostering, even in mixed fantasy leagues. Refsnyder is hitting .300 overall on the year and is also batting .308 (20-for-65) with two of his three homers on the season, making him worth a look as a deep DFS sleeper in the two-hole.
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton is starting at second base and is batting in the two-hole for the Red Sox on Thursday against the hosting Miami Marlins and right-hander Kyle Tyler. Hamilton was on the bench for the third time in the last four games for the BoSox on Wednesday, so fantasy managers that have been relying on him for his speed have to be thankful that he's back in there on the Fourth of July. The 26-year-old is hitting just .171 (6-for-35) with a homer, double, four RBI, two walks, seven strikeouts and seven stolen bases in 13 games (nine starts) since June 14. Overall, though, Hamilton has been a bright spot for Boston and for fantasy managers and he's seen plenty of playing time with both Trevor Story and Vaughn Grissom hurt this year. He's mainly been helpful for his speed with 21 steals in 57 games in his second big-league season.
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton will start on the bench on Tuesday versus the hosting Miami Marlins. Ceddanne Rafaela is starting at shortstop and batting ninth, while Enmanuel Valdez is at second base and hitting seventh against Marlins right-hander Valente Bellozo, who will be making just the second start of his major-league career. Rafaela has more fantasy upside, but his DFS ceiling remains on the low end if he continues to hit at the bottom of Boston's batting order. Hamilton has run with his opportunity this year with both Trevor Story and Vaughn Grissom injured, but he has only two hits in his last 18 at-bats to drop his season line to .268/.318/.427 with five home runs and 15 RBI. Still, Hamilton has been a nice waiver-wire addition for fantasy managers seeking speed in 2024, as he's recorded 21 thefts in 164 at-bats.
Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton is not in the team's starting lineup on Saturday as they take on the visiting San Diego Padres in the second game of the weekend series. Ceddanne Rafaela is starting at shortstop and batting ninth, while Enmanuel Valdez is at the keystone and hitting seventh against Padres right-hander Michael King. Hamilton has stepped up big time in the absence of both Trevor Story (shoulder) and Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) this year and is currently hitting .273 (44-for-161) with five homers, 15 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 28 runs scored, but he'll get a breather after going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in Friday night's 9-2 loss to the Friars. Hamilton has been slumping of late, going 6-for-31 (.194) with a homer, double, four RBI, two walks, six strikeouts and seven steals in 11 games since June 14.
Boston Red Sox shortstop David Hamilton was off and running against the New York Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball, notching four steals in a 9-3 win. Hamilton went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI to round out a very solid night. The four swipes give Hamilton 18 on the season and nine since June 7, an average of more than one per game. Obviously that pace won't continue, but if he can stay anywhere close to it he will be a very valuable fantasy player. He should be rostered in any league where stolen bases matter at this point.
Upon his promotion on Sunday, Boston Red Sox shortstop prospect David Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a solo home run. The speedy Hamilton was promoted and drew the start at shortstop with the news that shortstop Trevor Story (shoulder) will be sidelined indefinitely. Hamilton struggled in his first taste of the big leagues in 2023 with six hits in 37 at-bats and one homer to go along with a pair of stolen bases. Despite his struggles last season, he is a hard to catch on the basepaths with 179 stolen bases from 2021-2023. He also has some pop in his bat with double-digit homers in the past two seasons, including 17 last year in Triple-A. Opportunity will be key for Hamilton, but his speed makes him very intriguing and if he is able to add 10 or more homers, that is icing on the cake. Managers in deeper leagues should consider Hamilton as he can help with speed right away and could be a valuable asset in deeper leagues as the season goes on.
