Red Sox Gold Glover Puts Roster Battle on Hold With Shoulder Injury

The Boston Red Sox infielder had to exit on on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins.

May 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A Boston Red Sox hat and glove rests on the railing by the dugout prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox faced off against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, and Gold Glover Brendan Rodgers had some unfortunate luck.

Rodgers, who signed with the Red Sox on a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, is among the group of guys looking to earn a depth role with the organization. The infield isn't completely sorted out, although the most likely option right now appears to be Willson Contreras at first base, Marcelo Mayer at second base, Trevor Story at shortstop and Caleb Durbin at third base with Isiah Kiner-Falefa in a super utility role. With Romy González behind in camp due to a shoulder injury, there are depth spots up for grabs and Rodgers is someone with a Gold Glove Award under his belt and upside.

Rodgers was forced to exit from Boston's contest against the Twins on Wednesday, though, after suffering an apparent shoulder injury.

Brendan Rodgers was forced to exit vs. the Twins

Jun 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers (1) celebrates his solo home run with center fielder Jacob Melton (31) in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Brendan Rodgers is out of the game with a shoulder injury. pic.twitter.com/aswkopJr02

— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) February 25, 2026

With plenty of intriguing infield depth, it was already going to be difficult to crack the roster, especially with the way fellow utility man Andruw Monasterio has played so far in camp. As of writing, the club hasn't announced whether Rodgers will need to miss any time. If that does become the case, it'll make it even more difficult for him to earn a job with the big league club out of camp.

The 29-year-old is an intriguing player in his own right. He won a Gold Glove Award as a member of the Colorado Rockies in 2022. He's a career .261 hitter with 47 homers since 2021 and has experience playing alongside Trevor Story, but injuries unfortunately have been a significant story in his career so far. It's part of the reason why it only took a minor league deal for Boston to bring him to town.

Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported on Wednesday that the Red Sox are calling the injury "right shoulder pain" for now.

"Brendan Rodgers with 'right shoulder pain,' the Red Sox say," Healey wrote. "Rodgers has had major surgery on both shoulders in the past."

Hopefully, this doesn't lead to a long absence and he's able to get back to full strength quickly.