Red Sox 1B Gonzalez day-to-day after collision at 1st

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox first baseman Romy Gonzalez left the game after colliding with Texas Rangers first baseman Josh Smith while trying to beat out an infield hit on Wednesday night.

Both players were down on the ground for a bit, being attended to by their team’s trainers. Gonzalez was down the right-field line, while Smith was next to the bag.

“Just sore,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after their 6-4 victory. “The way he landed, his back got tight. I think he’s day to day. He should be OK.”

Smith backed up a bit to handle a throw from third and collided with Gonzalez’s left leg as he reached the bag, sending the Boston player tumbling.

Gonzalez was originally ruled safe on the play that scored a run to push the Red Sox ahead, 4-3, but it was overturned after the Rangers challenged, taking the run off the board and ending the inning.

The position is shorthanded for Boston now after Triston Casas was lost for the season when he ruptured a tendon in his left knee last week running to first. Gonzalez is expected to see the bulk of play at the position.

Gonzalez was replaced Wednesday by Abraham Toro, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.

The club has been reluctant to think about moving Rafael Devers to first after he was moved from third to DH when they signed free agent Alex Bregman to a $120-million, three-year deal during spring training.

“Like I told you guys in spring training, he’s my DH,” Cora said Saturday of Devers.