Red Sox assistant Romy Gonzalez he was behind in camp due to shoulder problems. He received an injection of platelet-rich plasma a few weeks ago in hopes of being ready for Opening Day, but the righty now tells MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith that he doesn’t think it’s true. Gonzalez is running and doing some crafty work but has yet to pitch, throw or swing the bat. He says he won’t start hitting until next Friday (March 6) early in the morning.
“Right now, I think the regression will be very quick and it would be a shame for me and the team if I’m not ready to roll and get in good shape,” Gonzalez told Smith.
Gonzalez, 29, suffered a shoulder injury in one of the final games of the 2025 regular season. He spent the offseason rehabbing the injury and thought he was in a good spot when the calendar turned to 2026, but he started feeling uncomfortable again after putting together his hitting schedule last month in preparation for spring training.
Gonzalez is an important part of Boston’s lineup, especially against left-handed pitching. He’s just coming off a career-best .305/.343/.483 showing that saw him soar with nine homers in a career-high 341 plate appearances. Gonzalez’s highest amount of damage came against left-handed pitching, which he scorched with a .331/.378/.600 batting line (162 wRC+) in 143 plate appearances. His .286/.318/.400 line against righties (198 plate appearances) was solid as well, but even including that performance, Gonzalez is just a .243/.267/.349 hitter (65 wRC+) in 439 plate appearances against righties.
If Gonzalez is indeed unavailable when the Red Sox’s season opener begins on March 26, that could improve the chances of someone else Nate Eaton, Andrew Monasterio, Kristian Campbell or Anthony Seigler make a list. Smith calls Monasteryo the early favorite, but it will obviously depend on the team’s spring performance. All are fighting for the last bench spot next to the backup catcher Connor Wonga veteran of the services Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the back/designated batsman Masataka Yoshida.
A healthy Gonzalez probably gives that competition a moot, but it increasingly sounds like there will be at least one open bench spot — maybe more, depending on health or other deals. The Red Sox have discussed their full complement of trades throughout the winter, with Jarren Duran standing as a frequently cited trading method. However, Boston has set a high asking price that – understandably – has yet to be met. There has also been a lot of speculation about Boston trying to find a replacement for Yoshida’s contract, but with two years and $36MM still to be released, that’s a tall order.
While the possible loss of Gonzalez affects the team’s depth and his ability against lefties, there is no indication that he has suffered any kind of setback or that he is looking at an extended absence. He makes $1.6MM this season in the first of three arbitration seasons and is club controlled through 2028.
The Red Sox open with three games in Cincinnati, where they will face the remaining two (Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo). They’ll then head to Houston, where the Astros will use their righty rotation, before playing host to a Padres team that looks to be stacked with a complete right-handed starting pitching staff.
