BOSTON — A Red Sox lineup that can't afford more injuries now has to deal with uncertainty about Eduardo Nunez's future, and at least a weeklong absence.
The utility infielder who has been helping to spell Dustin Pedroia at second base has a sprain in his right knee, to the posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL, which is in the back of the knee.
"He's going to be down at least for another a week," Farrell said. "He still had some tightness, had some swelling in the knee when he reported Sunday. Had similar symptoms yesterday, took him for an MRI. So there's not only knee bruising but there's some sprain of the knee itself, and we will re-evaluate him a week from today."
With the regular season winding down, Nunez's return is unclear, but he was optimistic when he spoke to the media in the dugout on Tuesday. Damage to a different ligament would have kept him out longer.
"The good news, it's nothing more serious," Nunez said. "It's just a week and we'll see what's going on."
Nunez said he was not going to try to push the knee more than normal because of the calendar. He's able to do exercises at the moment.
"Too early to tell," Farrell said of a return before the postseason. "But personally, in talking with him, in seeing how he's moving around today, compared to the two days following, there is improvement there, but we have to kind of wait and see how this week plays out."