The Boston Red Sox are closing in on Opening Day for the 2026 season. March 26 in Cincinnati is first up. The roster is set. Manager Alex Cora has his plans in place.
Romy Gonzalez won’t be part of those Opening Day plans. The utility man underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month. Dr. Jeffrey Dugas performed an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his left shoulder. The Red Sox placed him on the 60-day injured list.
On Friday, Gonzalez provided a fresh update on his recovery timeline.
Gonzalez Addresses His Surgery
Gonzalez spoke about the surgery and what comes next. He didn’t know what he was facing when he went in. The uncertainty made it worse.
After the surgery, Gonzalez called it the “best-case scenario” according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.
The timeline changed. Two to three months instead of six to eight. Gonzalez can target late May for his return. That’s when he becomes eligible to come off the 60-day injured list.
The optimism matters. Gonzalez avoided the worst outcome. Boston gets him back by late May instead of losing him for the year. The injury still hurts, but it could have been much worse.
He said he didn’t know if he’d have major or minor surgery going in, was relieved it wasn’t the major one.
Surgery Avoids Worst-Case for the Red Sox
Dr. Dugas performed the procedure at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The arthroscopic debridement addressed damage without major structural repair. Gonzalez avoided ligament or tendon reconstruction.
The shoulder had been bothering him since September. He hurt it during a series against Detroit late in the regular season. He played through pain in three Wild Card games against the Yankees. Rest during the offseason didn’t help. A setback in January made surgery inevitable.
Gonzalez hasn’t been cleared for baseball activities since spring training began. The Red Sox tried rest and rehabilitation first. Nothing worked. Surgery became the only option.
The utility hitter was productive when available last season. He hit .305 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs in 96 games. His .826 OPS made him a valuable platoon bat. His defensive versatility at second base, first base and third base gave Cora flexibility.
Boston expected him to fill that Swiss Army Knife role again in 2026. Now they’ll wait until the summer to get him back.
GettyRed Sox 1B Romy Gonzalez
Alex Cora Addresses Coulombe Signing
The Red Sox signed left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to a one-year, $1 million deal to fill Gonzalez’s spot on the 40-man roster.
Cora praised the addition.
“The kitchen sink,” Cora said. “He’s a guy that had a great season last year. He’s able to spin the ball, avoids damage from the left side. Been there, done that. So, happy with the way we went about it, and happy that he’s here with us.”
Coulombe wanted to join Boston. The fit makes sense.
“We knew it was a great fit, even early on in the offseason,” Coulombe said. “I’m glad we can make it happen. They needed a lefty.”
GettyRed Sox sign Danny Coulombe.
Final Word for the Red Sox
Romy Gonzalez received good news about his shoulder surgery. The procedure was a cleanup, not a reconstruction.
The recovery timeline is two to three months. Gonzalez hopes to return in late May when he’s eligible to come off the 60-day injured list. Boston loses a productive platoon bat and versatile defender until then.
The second base job will be decided in his absence. Marcelo Mayer is the favorite. The Red Sox face Cincinnati on March 26.
Red Sox Get Major Injury Update on Key Infielder Ahead of Season