Cora touts roster flexibility as Yoshida latest to IL

BOSTON — Injuries continue to pile up for the Boston Red Sox as the team placed designated hitter Masataka Yoshida on the injured list prior to Wednesday’s 6-2 win over the San Francisco Giants.

Yoshida jammed his hand Sunday and becomes the 13th Red Sox player to hit the IL this season.

Yoshida joins shortstop Trevor Story and first baseman Triston Casas as Opening Day starters who are now sidelined. Story is out for the season after surgery to repair a fractured shoulder, while Casas is out for at least a few weeks with torn cartilage in his rib cage.

Three members of Boston’s initial starting rotation are also currently injured — Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock — and that list doesn’t include Lucas Giolito, who the Red Sox signed as a free agent to bolster the rotation but underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training.

One good piece of news: Projected starting second baseman Vaughn Grissom, who has been on the IL since the start of the season with a right hamstring issue, is expected to be activated Friday if everything goes right, according to manager Alex Cora.

“He’s feeling good today,” Cora said.

The Red Sox also avoided another bad twist when Garrett Cooper, just acquired to fill in for Casas, was hit by a pitch on his hand in his first game Tuesday and had to exit early. He was available to play Wednesday but did not get into the game.

A somewhat exasperated Cora addressed all the injuries prior to Wednesday’s game. He applauded the bottom of the roster for stepping up and helping the Red Sox to a 17-13 record, which improved to 18-13 with the victory over the Giants.

“It’s a star-driven league, we know that, but what you do with the edge of the roster is very important,” Cora said. “Having the flexibility roster-wise is huge. You can move guys around. That’s how franchises like the Rays have done it throughout the years. … I believe the edge of the roster can help you win eight games, nine games a season.”

For the Red Sox, the big move has been switching rookie Ceddanne Rafaela from center field to shortstop — the rare player who looks like a plus defender at both positions. Jarren Duran, the team’s regular center fielder in 2023, is back in center after beginning the season as the left fielder.

Cora mentioned he had been talking all this through with outfielder Rob Refsnyder.

“We work so hard on chemistry and culture in spring training. Then you have a whole different team in the beginning of May,” Cora said. “It’s going to keep changing, but I do believe we’re in a good place. We’re playing good baseball, which is awesome.”

Craig Breslow, the team’s first-year chief baseball officer, has been busy finding replacements. Besides acquiring Cooper from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations, the Red Sox also just acquired backup infielder Zack Short from the New York Mets.

Boston also agreed to a one-year contract with first baseman Dominic Smith, who was released by the Rays on Tuesday. He has been in Triple-A. Smith hit .254/.326/.366 for the Washington Nationals last season.

Despite the injuries to the rotation, the pitching has kept the Red Sox over .500. They lead the majors with a 2.59 ERA and posted the team’s lowest ERA through 30 games since 1920. The rotation owns a 2.00 ERA, the lowest by a starting rotation through the end of April since the 1981 A’s.

“If we keep doing the things we’re doing on the mound, it doesn’t matter who comes in,” Cora said. “We’re going to be in a good place.”