It has been that sort of season for the Boston Red Sox. Just as Carl Crawford prepares to return, fellow massive contract holder Adrian Gonzalez injures his back, greeting a small child in a mall.

Gonzalez was getting a cup of coffee at the International Plaza in Tampa when he bent over to say hello to a child in a stroller. That’s when he felt his lower back lock up.

“I have no idea how it happened,” said Gonzalez, who has never had back problems before. “It was something I’ve done a million times.”

Bobby Valentine provided his customary level of clarity and insight regarding the injury.

“I would think by next week, the beginning of the week, he should be in full swing,” Valentine said. “Unless he’s not.”

Gonzalez thinks the injury may have been caused by spending time off in Cape Cod during the All-Star Break. It is always encouraging when your star hitter gets felled by the deadly combo of relaxation and bending over, and puts up a 97 OPS+ after averaging 152 the previous four seasons.

The Red Sox are 10.5 games behind the Yankees, but with the fourth highest run differential in the AL are just 2.5 games from a heartbreaking loss in the wild card elimination game.

[Photo via Presswire]