PEDROIA ON TRACK FOR RETURN FRIDAY
2B resumes baseball activities
BALTIMORE — Dustin
Pedroia picked up a bat and took some swings yesterday at Camden Yards, then he slipped a glove on and scooped ground balls during batting practice.
After five more days, he’ll be eligible to come off the disabled list, and all signs point to the Red Sox getting their second baseman back without delay. His sprained left wrist has healed enough to allow for baseball activities, and it’s doubtful Pedroia will need a minor league rehab assignment.
“A lot of the discoloration, the swelling, continues to improve,” manager
John Farrell said before the Sox’ 5-2 win against the Orioles. “He put a bat in his hand today and took some dry swings. We’re hopeful and encouraged by what the last three days have been for him with the response to treatment. Still, we project that his first day eligible, he’d be ready to go. The last 48 hours, there’s been really good improvement with the condition of his hand and wrist.”
The plan is for Pedroia to take full BP in New York during the upcoming series against the Yankees.
“I would doubt we would (send him on a minors rehab),” Farrell said. “But I think most importantly is how encouraging the last couple of days have been with treatment.”
Because Josh Rutledge was scratched due to de- hydration, Deven Marrero made his first start at second base in Pedroia’s place. Farrell said Rutledge was available if necessary, but he didn’t play.
Johnson out early
The Red Sox had not officially named Brian
Johnson as the rotation replacement for injured Eduardo Rodriguez, but that was the way the ballclub was leaning. That plan seemed to hit a snag last night in Durham, N.C.
While making a start for Triple-A Pawtucket that could have been his final tune-up before returning to the big leagues, Johnson was dominant through seven batters (five strikeouts) before falling down while delivering a pitch in the second inning.
“He had some cramping in the hamstring, so he was removed in the second inning,” Farrell said. “We’ll know tomorrow when he gets checked out.”
The start was Johnson’s first since throwing a complete game shutout at Fenway Park exactly a week earlier.
Benintendi ends skid
An opposite-field single through a shifted infield snapped Andrew Benintendi out of an 0-for-19 skid. The Red Sox rookie left fielder had hit .116 in his previous 20 games, but the team has stuck with him in the top third of the order against right-handers.
“You know, obviously the speed is there,” Farrell said. “It’s important to get on base, we know that, but as guys go through those periods, just trying to create some stability and not let them think about something else.”
Barnes still away
For the second day in a row, Sox set-up man Matt
Barnes was away from the team while attending to a personal matter. Farrell expects Barnes to be back for today’s series finale.
Rodriguez’ knee injury and trip to the DL opened the door to the recall of
Brandon Workman from Triple-A Pawtucket to keep the bullpen full without Barnes. Joe Kelly was the designated set-up man in Barnes’ absence.
“It’s just an unfortunate situation to Eddie,” Farrell said. “But it does give us the flexibility to have a full complement in the bullpen.”
Speaking of Rodriguez, he was still with the team and will travel to Florida today for his visit tomorrow with Dr. James Andrews. At that point, the Red Sox should have a better sense of severity with his right knee subluxation.
Smith reappears
Working his way back from Tommy John surgery,
reliever Carson Smith is set to face hitters in live batting practice on Tuesday. It will be the most significant step yet in his recovery.
While Smith is approaching a rehab assignment, another injured reliever is at restarting the early stages of a throwing program. Tyler Thornburg, who has experienced multiple setbacks in his recovery from a spring training shoulder injury, has resumed doing long toss. The team remains optimistic that Thornburg will be healthy enough to pitch this season.
Sale circular
Chris Sale will start the series finale. That’s obviously good news for the Red Sox, but having Sale on the mound has not been quite as overwhelming as it was earlier this season.
Although he won all five decisions in May, Sale’s ERA for the month was 4.24, a far cry from the 1.19 he posted in April. Opponents’ OPS was more than 200 points higher, too, in May than it was in April.
“I think there might have been an at-bat or a couple of at-bats where he’d like to take a pitch back,” Farrell said.
“Maybe go with a different pitch, particularly when he’s been ahead in the count. There’s been some base hits involved in there where, in that fivestart run you were talking about, he either put them away with a changeup or breaking ball. But I can’t say there’s been anything change with him other than the game, the game of baseball.”