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BOSTON — Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo returned to the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against Toronto, a day after he was benched by manager Alex Cora.

“Hopefully we learned as a group from what happened yesterday and that’s the reason that we did it,” Cora said before the Red Sox lost the series finale to the Blue Jays, 13-1. “It was my decision not to play him and I have my reasons and we’ll leave it at that.”

On Sunday, Verdugo went 3 for 4 with three singles and made a nice running catch on Matt Chapman‘s fly ball near the Pesky Pole in the fourth inning.

On Saturday, the Red Sox scratched Verdugo about two hours before their 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays. No reason was given during the game. He was replaced in the lineup by Adam Duvall.

Following the game, Cora said: “We took a step back as a team. We have to make sure everybody’s available every single day here for us to get to wherever we’re going to go. And that wasn’t the case. … I’ve got to take charge of this and decided he wasn’t going to play.”

When Verdugo spoke to the media, he said it was a “manager’s decision. We’re going to leave it at that.”

Earlier this season, Cora benched Verdugo for not hustling and after last season the manager challenged him to be better prepared.

Cora addressed those things Sunday morning.

“I think I said it last year: ‘It’s where you want to go as a player,”’ Cora said. “It’s who you are and where you want to be. This kid, he’s very talented.

“We’re here to help him and support him. We see flashes of greatness and we see flashes of struggles. … Everybody’s different in that clubhouse and you have to deal with them in different ways.”

Cora further explained that he hopes the discipline helps motivate the 27-year-old outfielder.

“He’s a smart kid. He has his ups and downs like everybody else,” Cora said. “Sometimes you’ve got to show him some tough love and sometimes you’ve got to be there for him in another way. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Verdugo was acquired in the February 2020 trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is hitting .270 with eight homers and 41 RBIs in 98 games this season.

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Tigers’ Baddoo to miss start of regular season

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Tigers' Baddoo to miss start of regular season

LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand and will miss the start of the regular season.

Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Baddoo had more tests done after some continued wrist soreness since the start of spring training. Those tests revealed the hamate hook fracture in his right hand that was surgically repaired Thursday.

Baddoo, 26, who has been with the Tigers since 2021, is at spring training as a non-roster player. He was designated for assignment in December after Detroit signed veteran right-hander Alex Cobb to a $15 million, one-year contract. Baddoo cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

Cobb is expected to miss the start of the season after an injection to treat hip inflammation that developed as the right-hander was throwing at the start of camp. He has had hip surgery twice.

Baddoo hit .137 with two homers and five RBIs in 31 games last season. The left-hander has a .226 career average with 28 homers and 103 RBI in 340 games.

After the Tigers acquired him from Minnesota in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December 2020, Baddoo hit .259 with 13 homers, 55 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .330 on-base percentage in 124 games as a rookie in 2021. Those are all career bests.

Baddoo went into camp in a crowded outfield. The six outfielders on Detroit’s 40-man roster include three other left-handed hitters (Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Parker Meadows) and switch-hitter Wenceel Pérez. The other outfielders are right-handers Matt Vierling and Justyn-Henry Malloy.

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Dodgers’ Miller has no fracture after liner scare

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Dodgers' Miller has no fracture after liner scare

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller still had a bit of a headache but slept fine and felt much better a day after getting hit on the head by a line drive, manager Dave Roberts said Friday.

Roberts said he had spoken with Miller, who was still in concussion protocol after getting struck by a 105.5 mph liner hit by Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch in the first game of spring training Thursday.

The manager said Miller indicated that there was no fracture or any significant bruising.

“He said in his words, ‘I have a hard head.’ He was certainly in good spirits,” Roberts said.

Miller immediately fell to the ground while holding his head, but quickly got up on his knees as medical staff rushed onto the field. The 25-year-old right-hander was able to walk off the field on his own.

“He feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon,” said Roberts, who was unsure of that timing. “But he’s just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track.”

Miller entered spring training in the mix for a spot in the starting rotation. He had a 2-4 record with an 8.52 ERA over 13 starts last season, after going 11-4 with a 3.76 in 22 starts as a rookie in 2023.

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Brewers OF Perkins (shin) to miss start of season

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Brewers OF Perkins (shin) to miss start of season

PHOENIX — Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Blake Perkins is expected to miss the first month of the season after fracturing his right shin during batting practice.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy revealed the severity of Perkins’ injury before their Cactus League opener Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds.

“They’re estimating another three to four weeks to heal and a ramp-up of four to six weeks,” Murphy said. “So you’re probably looking at May.”

Perkins, 28, batted .240 with a .316 on-base percentage, six homers, 43 RBIs and 23 steals in 121 games last season. He also was a National League Gold Glove finalist at center field.

“Perkins is a big part of our team,” Murphy said. “The chemistry of the team, the whole thing, Perk’s huge. He’s one of the most loved guys on the club, and he’s a great defender, coming into his own as an offensive player. Yeah, it’s going to hurt us.”

Murphy also said right-handed pitcher J.B. Bukauskas has what appears to be a serious lat injury and is debating whether to undergo surgery. Bukauskas had a 1.50 ERA in six relief appearances last year but missed much of the season with a lat issue.

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