Rangers rule out center Chytil for rest of season
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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
New York Rangers center Filip Chytil will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Sunday.
Chytil, who has not played since Nov. 2, had previously been ruled out with what the Rangers described as an upper-body injury, with sources telling ESPN late last week that it was related to head injuries he had previously suffered.
“Following a thorough evaluation of Filip Chytil after his recent setback from an upper body injury, it has been confirmed he will be out for the remainder of this season,” the Rangers said in a statement. “The organization’s top priority throughout this process has been Filip’s health and we will continue to fully support him in his recovery with an aim to return for the 2024-25 season.”
Chytil said in a social media post that it has been the hardest three months of his life, a stretch that has not been easy for his family, those closest to him and the team.
“We gotta stay positive even in these tough moments and just think what is ahead of us,” Chytil said on Instagram. “Thanks to you all for nice messages! I’ll come back stronger than ever!”
The 24-year-old returned to the Rangers on Monday after spending three weeks in his native Czechia. There had been some optimism that Chytil would return at some point this season, given the progress he had made in his recovery.
On Friday, however, Chytil fell while he was skating at Madison Square Garden. While it was unclear what led to him falling, Chytil was down on the ice for several minutes before he was helped off by two teammates.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told reporters after the team’s 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday that Chytil had “suffered a setback with regard to the injury he was dealing with.”
Losing Chytil, who had six points in 10 games, means the Rangers will continue to be without another member of their young core. Chytil broke through last season to finish with a career-high 22 goals and 45 points in 74 games and parlayed that campaign into a four-year extension worth $4.437 million annually.
Even without Chytil, the Rangers (30-16-3) have remained one of the favorites to challenge for the Stanley Cup this season. They entered Sunday atop the Metropolitan Division by two points over the Carolina Hurricanes despite having lost six of their past 10 games.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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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