Red Sox rookie outfielder Andrew Benintendi had to be helped off the field Wednesday night in Tropicana Field after his leg buckled on an awkward play running back toward second base. Here's the footage:
That shot around the 53-second mark doesn't paint a pretty picture for Benintendi. The Red Sox have said initially that he has a left knee sprain, but that he'll be further evaluated. This means he's not out of the woods. Remember when Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber tore up his knee? The initial report was just a sprained ankle. It was the further testing that revealed significant tears in his knee ligaments. This isn't to say Benintendi has torn something. It's just to say that we don't know he didn't. Not yet.
This is a rough one for both Benintendi and the Red Sox. He's hitting .324/.365/.485 with six doubles, a triple, a homer and 10 RBI through just 21 games while the Red Sox are in a three-way brawl for the top of the AL East (which includes both wild-card spots right now).
If Benintendi is forced to land on the DL, Chris B. Young and Brock Holt are options to see regular time in left field.
