Jets’ Dillon iffy for Game 4 with stitched-up hand
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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
DENVER — Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon is day-to-day and his Game 4 status is unclear after he lacerated his hand at the end of Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.
Jets coach Rick Bowness said after practice Saturday that Dillon’s hand required multiple stitches after it appeared to have been cut by a skate blade.
“It didn’t look good,” Bowness said. “So, it was a big sigh of relief that there wasn’t any damage done. Give our doctors credit. They got right at it and did a great job stitching him up.”
Dillon’s injury came at the end of a third period that saw the Jets surrender a 2-1 lead and allow five unanswered goals in a 6-2 loss, which gave the Avs a 2-1 series lead.
Several players were involved in the scrum before Dillon skated off the ice toward the Jets’ bench clutching his bloodied, lacerated hand.
While there were replays of the incident, there are still questions about what specific events led to Dillon’s hand being cut.
Dillon’s defense partner, Neal Pionk, said he didn’t know something happened to his teammate until he skated back to the bench. Pionk said he has also watched replays of the scrum and still didn’t know the specifics of what led to Dillon’s lacerated hand.
“You get mayhem in there and all those bodies in there, it’s tough to figure it out,” Bowness said. “But, it’s obviously a skate blade got in there somewhere.”
His potential return or his possible absence comes at a time when the Jets are trying to solve their defensive issues while evening the series or they risk returning to Winnipeg facing potential elimination.
The Jets opened with a 7-6 win only to allow five goals in the three-goal loss in Game 2 that saw the Avalanche tie the series.
After allowing just four goals in three regular-season games against the Avs, the Jets have allowed 17 goals in three playoff games.
“He’s one of our toughest competitors and a tremendous teammate,” Bowness said of Dillon. “He gives you 100 percent every shift out there. He’s tough as nails, he battles everybody, he blocks shots. He does everything you want your veteran D to do. He’s a great leader on the ice and in the room too. He brings a lot to our team.”
BOSTON — Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas suffered a ruptured tendon in his left knee and is out for the remainder of the season, the team said.
The 25-year-old Casas ruptured his patellar tendon running to first on a slow roller up the line and fell awkwardly in Boston’s victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. After laying on his back in pain — not moving the knee — he was carted off on a stretcher before being taken to a Boston hospital.
The team announced Sunday that he had surgery for a left patellar tendon repair at Massachusetts General Hospital. The surgery was performed by Dr. Eric Berkson.
“I talked to him last night,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said in a news conference on Saturday discussing the injury outside Boston’s clubhouse. “We exchanged text messages [Saturday]. We all care deeply about just his overall wellbeing.”
Manager Alex Cora said Casas worked hard during the offseason to play every day after missing a large amount of last year with torn cartilage in his rib cage.
“He did an outstanding job in the offseason to put himself in that situation. It didn’t start the way he wanted it to,” Cora said of Casas’ struggles. “He was going to play and play a lot. Now we’ve got to focus on the rehab after the surgery and hopefully get him back stronger than ever and ready to go next year.”
Casas batted just .182 with three homers and 11 RBIs, but Breslow said his loss will be felt, especially with the team’s lack of depth at the position.
“He certainly struggled through the first month of the season but that didn’t change what we believe his production was capable of being,” Breslow said. “It’s a big loss. In addition to what we think we were going to get on the offensive side, he was kind of like a stabilizing presence on the defensive side of the field — also a big personality and a big part of the clubhouse.”
During spring training, Casas talked about how his focus at the plate this season was being more relaxed.
“You really want it until you don’t,” he said, explaining his thoughts while standing at his locker. “Then you can’t want it that much.”
Now, he’ll have to focus on his recovery plan for next season.
Casas, a left-handed batter, was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with infielder/outfielder Abraham Toro selected from Triple-A Worcester.
Cora said Toro — a switch-hitter — will split time at first along with Romy Gonzalez. who bats right-handed.
Breslow said the team might be exploring a long-term replacement.
“This is unfortunately an opportunity to explore what’s available,” he said. “We’ll look both internally and outside as well.”
Cora said there are no plans to move Rafael Devers, who was replaced at third by offseason free-agent acquisition Alex Bregman and moved to DH.
“We asked him to do something in spring training that in the beginning he didn’t agree with it and now he’s very comfortable doing what he’s doing,” Cora said. “Like I told you guys in spring training, he’s my DH.”
TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.
The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.
Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.
In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.
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