Panda to stay on farm
Sox opt to keep Sandoval in Pawtucket
The Red Sox have decided
Pablo Sandoval isn’t quite ready for the big leagues. The team considered activating its third baseman from the disabled list this week in Chicago, but his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket will continue.
“Continue to get at-bats, continue to get innings under his belt,” manager John
Farrell said. “He came in (yesterday) for a workout and a workup as far as an exam on the health side of things. He’s making progress. He’s in the midst of getting his timing going at the plate. For right now, he’ll stay with Pawtucket.”
Sandoval’s been out with a right knee sprain since April 24. Farrell said the team considers him fully healthy at this point, but he’s played just six games and logged just 21 at-bats in the past month.
Deven Marrero has solidified the third base position, at least on the defensive side, and so the Red Sox are not going to force the issue to activate Sandoval before he’s ready. He’s hit just .143 during his rehab games.
“He didn’t say he was not ready,” Farrell said. “We just felt like the additional first part of this week, particularly the next three days, would give him more ample opportunity to get back to the nine innings, and that’s probably the biggest thing. (This weekend was) the first time he’s gone back-toback nine innings. We just want to see it another time or two before a decision is made.”
It’s worth noting that the Red Sox expect to face lefties in three of their next four games, and it might make sense to keep Sandoval out of the mix until there are more right-handed starters on the horizon.
“He wants to get back to us, there’s no doubt about it,” Farrell said. “But he’s also a realist (and) realistic enough to know that there’s been over a month missed, and I think there’s maybe 1518 at-bats he’s accumulated. It’s all part of the baseball part of it getting back in shape, the timing to it all, getting him going as well.”
Boyer back in bigs
Veteran reliever Blaine
Boyer joined the Red Sox yesterday, and it seems he’ll have a real chance to stick.
The 35-year-old signed a minor league deal at the end of spring training, had an opt out on June 1, and was called up to give the team a fresh arm in the bullpen. When the team made a roster move to activate David Price, they elected to keep Boyer and option Brandon Workman.
“This is an open-ended situation he comes into,” Farrell said. “So, he’s here. Good on him for staying the course when you consider a guy in his 17th year of pro baseball who’s healthy and strong.”
Boyer was called up to replace spot starter Brian Johnson, who pitched a shutout Saturday but was inevitably optioned back to Triple A. How long Boyer lasts will likely depend on whether he can keep pitching the way he did for Pawtucket. In his Red Sox debut, he retired the only two batters he faced yesterday.
“Listen, I’ve been in baseball forever,” Boyer said. “(It’s a bad idea) when you start seeing or looking for expectations. I’ve got to live in the now. Whenever I get an opportunity to go out and pitch, show them what I can do, and that’s all you can do.”
The early returns are promising. He’s spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with seven organizations but said he’s never felt better than his 141⁄ innings 3 with 12 strikeouts and a 1.33 WHIP in Pawtucket.
“Best I’ve ever been in my whole career,” he said. “At 35, I’m not sure why, but I can easily say this is the best I’ve been pitching throughout my career. As far as my health, everything is really, really good.”
Price cleared for 90
Price will make his season debut some three months after a spring training elbow injury. After two minor league rehab starts, he’s been cleared for 90 pitches in today’s series opener with the White Sox.
“He knows where he’s at, what he is capable of physically,” Farrell said. “It’s just a matter of him going up and executing pitches, changing speeds and using his stuff accordingly.”
Travis time
Prospect Sam Travis has played one game since joining the team Tuesday, but more at-bats are on the way. The first baseman is expected to play regularly this week.
“We’re going to get three left-handed starters over the next four days,” Farrell said. “Knowing that we’re going to get at least one left-handed starter in the upcoming series, (we) felt like this was a time to capitalize on his own personal momentum, give us the best chance to match up. His at-bats are coming.”