Red Sox News: 1B Mitch Moreland Placed on 10-Day IL with Back Injury

The Boston Red Sox will be without first baseman Mitch Moreland for the time being due to a back injury. 

The team announced Wednesday that Moreland was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained lower back. The move is retroactive to Sunday, making him eligible to return June 5.

Moreland hasn't appeared in a game since May 25 when he went 0-for-5 in a 4-3 loss against the Houston Astros. The 33-year-old also took a line-drive from Yuli Gurriel off his knee. 

Even though Moreland is only hitting .228 this season, he's provided a lot of power in the Red Sox lineup. The Missouri native leads the team with a .550 slugging percentage and 13 homers in just 149 at-bats this season. 

Boston has been using Steve Pearce and Michael Chavis at first base with Moreland out for the previous three games. Pearce figures to see increased playing time at the position, especially since Chavis offers more value at second base. 

The Red Sox are trying to close the gap on the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. The defending World Series champions enter Wednesday with a 29-26 record, 6.5 games behind the Yankees and tied with the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card spot.