Eric Hosmer Has Slight Rotator Cuff Tear

While diving for a ball on Thursday, Eric Hosmer came up with pain in his right shoulder. The injury kept him out of games Friday and Saturday and an MRI  indicated that there’s a slight tear in his rotator cuff.

September 27, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) is checked by the trainer after suffering an apparent injury during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

The word is that the Royals are going to go day to day on Hosmer, but with the Royals playing for nothing but third place, there’s no reason to push it. I get that Hosmer’s going to want to play. I get that Ned Yost is going to want to trust his player, but it’s crazy to indulge him on this.

Hosmer has struggled through almost all of 2012 and four more games isn’t going to turn that around. The only thing that can result is an aggravation of the injury. The logical thing to do is to ignore his pleas if he wants to play and sit him the rest of the year.

The Royals seem to get this. Hosmer told Bob Dutton of the Star that they’ll talk about it on Monday. At that point, the Royals will be in their last series of the season. The only reason to put Hosmer in the lineup is to give the fans one last look this year. In other words, nothing but window dressing. There are no milestones to reach. No records to break.

It’s time to protect the (arguably) biggest asset in the Royals organization. Will they obey reason and do so? Who knows? Mike Aviles played 2009 with the need for Tommy John surgery in 2009. Coco Crisp‘s throwing arm was useless before he was shut down in that same season, but he was still allowed to play through it. It’s a new training staff now than those days, so hopefully, Hosmer will stay on the bench.

The injury won’t require surgery and thankfully, Ned Yost has said that they probably aren’t going to “do anything stupid.”

Alcides Escobar was injured in the same game but he’s only suffering from a bruised shoulder and should be fine if they reinsert him into the lineup.