McAdam: Marco Hernandez looks to make up for lost time with Red Sox

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It was an ordinary batting practice session, conducted on a back field on a warm but breezy morning.

It was the kind of scene that gets repeated hundreds of times a day, in camps throughout Florida and Arizona. and there was nothing, at first glance, special about it. The tableau is so common as to be mundane. A coach positioned behind an L screen, tossing 70 mph fastballs to a hitter who almost mechanically swings, the "thwack'' echoing across the complex.

Rather, rinse, repeat.

But don't try telling that to Marco Hernandez. Or, for that matter, the teammates who applauded him when he was finished, or the staff who offered him congratulations.

For this was no run-of-the-mill BP session. This was a dream come true for Hernandez, a goal finally realized.

"It feels great, man,'' said Hernandez. "I put in my mind that I wanted to take BP by the end of February and I made it. But it was the first step. We've got to keep grinding.''

It's been so long since Hernandez contributed to the Red Sox, it's easy to forget how much upside he possesses. While considered only an average defender, his lefty bat suggests potential. As recently as 2016, he posted a respectable .786 OPS at Triple-A Pawtucket.

But, for now, the comeback road continues.



Just to achieve his goal of batting practice, there had been a steady progression. There were tracking sessions, where all he could do was watch as pitches were thrown to him. Then. some swings off a tee. Then, some BP off a pitching machine in the cages. Finally, there was BP on the field -- mundane to most, heaven to Marco Hernandez.

Hernandez, 26, has missed almost two entire seasons. His last at-bat, at any level, came on May 3, 2017. Hernandez underwent left shoulder open stabilization surgery later that month and was expected to be ready for the start of spring training a year ago.

But a year and two days ago, he returned to Boston, knowing that something was wrong. His shoulder hadn't healed properly and he was unable to participate in spring training activities. He returned to Fort Myers to try additional rehab, but by the middle of the summer, no progress had been made.

In July, he had a second surgery, this one performed by Dr. Matt Provencher. This time, the problem was repaired. Another long rehab followed.

Any physical setback is frustrating for a professional athlete, but the timing was particularly rough. Hernandez is a versatile infielder, and while the Red Sox sought replacements for Dustin Pedroia at second base (Pedroia played just three games in 2018), Hernandez could only continue his rehab, wondering what might have been.

"It's been tough,'' acknowledged Hernandez, "because I would have had a chance to play a lot last year, no doubt about it. I'm not saying from Opening Day, because we had Brock (Holt) and (Eduardo) Nunez, but at some point, I would have been there last year, in the big leagues, helping the team.''

Instead, in a bit of irony, Hernandez worked in extended spring training, often doing drills and undergoing treatment with Pedroia, who was rehabbing for his own return, which was soon cut short.

From southwest Florida, Hernandez watched the Red Sox streak to a 108-win season and a World Series win. The frustration could have boiled over and it would have been perfectly understandable for Hernandez to dissolve into a sinkhole of self-pity.

"It was not that bad, because we were winning,'' Hernandez said. "If we had been losing a lot, I would have said, 'Oh, I could have helped the team.' It was pretty fun watching those guys playing. They'd win every day.''

If there was a benefit to the downtime, it was the bond he formed with Pedroia. On the surface, they have little in common but their chosen profession. Pedroia is righthanded; Hernandez hits lefty. Pedroia was born in California, played in college, and was a first-round pick and has only known the Red Sox; Hernandez is from the Dominican Republic, was signed by the Cubs before being traded to Boston.

But, sidelined together, the former MVP and the utility infielder connected.

"I admire Pedey a lot,'' said Hernandez. "He's one of the best mentors I've ever had in my life. We don't talk a lot about baseball because he knows more than me. We talked about injuries, how you rehab, how you prepare to come back. Pedey's a different guy. He helped me a lot.''

More work awaits and there is not yet a timetable for Hernandez to return to game action.

"Not yet,'' he said, shaking his head. "We want to make sure I'm a full-go. I feel like I can right now, but we want to keep the progress going. It's been too long a road to throw away in two days. So we've got to keep ramping up.''

He expects to remains here in extended spring training when the team breaks camp, and after a few weeks, begin a minor league assignment somewhere with an affiliate.

"Go the minor leagues, try to do my thing, work on my recovery and then, when they need me up there, I hope I'm ready to help the team.''

He offers no specific timetable, having had too many detours and disappointments.

"I don't put goals on playing baseball,'' he said. "If you set goals (for baseball) and you don't make it, you're going to be said, and saying 'Why can't I do this?' I put goals in my mind about training, or getting in shape for spring training or adding more muscle for spring training.

"My goal right now is getting to the field and facing pitchers as soon as possible.''

The rest will follow. After almost two years, Marco Hernandez's interminable wait may almost be over.