Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
“The bruise is deep and it’s in an area where it’s a tough spot to handle it,” manager La Russa said Wednesday before saying Vaughn would probably go to the IL before the Sox upcoming series in Boston.
The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.
Vaughn was hit by a pitch Friday by the Angels’ Mike Mayers. X-rays were negative, but “tons of inflammation” remained five days later, Vaughn said Wednesday.
“It’s kind of progressed, but it’s still aching when I swing, real bad,” Vaughn said. “Like it’s kind of blocking me from swinging because of the pain. I feel it all the time.”
The Sox are off Thursday. They play the Red Sox at Fenway Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday before returning home Monday for a home stand against the Guardians and Yankees next week.
Vaughn, 24, was leading the Sox with four homers and was one of their top hitters with a .283/.367/.566 hitting line and .933 OPS when he went down.
“I want to be out there playing,” Vaughn said Wednesday. “I want to be helping my team. It stinks I can’t be out there.”
