The Red Sox have a revolving door of players on and off the injured list. Here is an update on a handful of Sox players that could be returning soon or in the distance near future.
YU CHANG CLOSE TO RETURNING
The Red Sox are close to getting some reinforcements back off the injured list. Yu Chang has been sidelined since the end of April after suffering a broken hamate in his left hand while facing the Orioles.
After a few setbacks, Chang is making good progress and could rejoin the Red Sox later this week.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s here with us at one point this week," said Alex Cora.
Chang has been with Double-A Portland and will play second base for them on Tuesday. When Chang returns to the Red Sox, Cora said Chang will become the team’s starting shortstop.
The 27-year-old’s recovery hasn’t been as smooth, suffering two setbacks while with both the Sea Dogs and WooSox. During both rehab assignments, Chang felt soreness and was sidelined. Both instances were both considered to be minor.
Chang returning to play shortstop should end the revolving door at the position. Kiké Hernández has been a disaster at the position committing 14 errors (13 throwing) — all coming at shortstop.
Hernández was stripped of his starting shortstop duties in mid-June but has still played the position due to injuries.
“You get X amount of opportunities to play the position,” Cora said back in June. “You have to make adjustments. Is it late? I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. We’ve just got to move on.
“I told him this is where we’re at right now and he understands. He played 63 or 64 games and played the majority of the games there. But this is where we are. But at the same time, the game will dictate what we do. Don’t be surprised if he’s there in the ninth inning playing short.”
Pablo Reyes and David Hamilton have also held down the fort but Chang is the better defender of the bunch.
JOHN SCHREIBER THROWS LIVE BP
John Schreiber has been on the mend since May 16 with a terse major strain. The right-hander tossed live batting practice on Tuesday morning from Fenway Park.
“The goal for Schreiber is, get this live BP in and hopefully go on a rehab assignment this weekend,’' said Cora. “Hopefully try to get two (appearances) before the All-Star break and then see what we’ve got after. He’s recovering well. He’s feeling great, so this is moving fairly fast.”
Schreiber, has been an important late-inning reliever for Cora’s bullpen. He’s posted a 2.12 ERA (17 innings, four earned runs) and 1.29 WHIP in 18 relief outings this season. He has posted a 2.22 ERA in 83 outings (85 innings) for the Red Sox from 2021-23. Once healthy, he will provide a massive lift to the bullpen which has pitched well during his absence.
The injury occurred back on May 14 when he left the game while facing the Mariners in the top of the seventh inning.
“It tightened up pretty good there,” said Schreiber after the injury occurred. He also told reporters that the tightness in his shoulder has lingered through the year.
TREVOR STORY TAKES MORE SWINGS
Trevor Story took live batting practice off Schreiber, getting more swings in as he recovers from elbow surgery.
There is still no clear timetable for Story returning to the Red Sox.
“We’re not there yet,” said Cora. “He’s feeling good. He’s throwing the ball well. I just talked to Carlos (Febles, infield instructor) about it and (Story) is making some tough throws from the hole and all that. It’s looking good, looking good. I don’t want to get too excited - let’s put it that way.”
Story said on June 12 he expects to play shortstop for the Sox sometime in August. The 30-year-old still needs more reps in the field and at the plate in live games.
ADDITIONAL PITCHER IL UPDATES, REESE MCGUIRE 'FEELING BETTER'
Chris Sale played catch on grass last week following his MRI on his injured left shoulder.
The southpaw is still weeks away from returning to the Red Sox but he is a little ahead of schedule.
“I know it’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s big for me personally just because it’s baseball stuff,” Sale said last week to reporters in front of his locker. “I’m a baseball player and showing up to a baseball field to not do anything baseball related … it’s not fun. It takes its toll on you. To be able to show up and actually feel like I’m doing something to better myself — to hopefully sooner rather than later — help this team is good. Throwing is better than not throwing, that’s for damn sure.”
The fact Sale was throwing within four weeks of his initial injury versus the six-week timeframe he was diagnosed with is incredibly encouraging for the lefty.
“A lot of times when you have a stress reaction or stress fracture or even a fracture in the bone, those most of the time are right around six weeks (of being shut down), give or take,” Sale said. “But with testing and a lot of the stuff I’ve been doing rehab-wise over the last few weeks, I was kind of at a point where I couldn’t really do anything to make this provoked. There’s nothing I can do to really make my arm hurt. So really the next step after that is throwing.”
Sale isn’t ready to throw off the mound but based off his progress, Cora has said the lefty feels good. “I don’t know when he gets on the mound and all that stuff,” said Cora. ‘But he’s feeling really good.”
Richard Bleier made a rehab start for the Portland SeaDogs on Sunday and pitched well. He tossed one inning giving up one hit and striking out two. Bleier will make another rehab appearance later this week.
Joely Rodríguez is back in Boston but has not been activated by the team yet. The southpaw has been on the IL dealing with left shoulder inflammation. “We haven’t made a decision,” said Cora. “I think he throws a bullpen (Wednesday). We’ll see how it plays out.”
Rodríguez has only appeared in five games for the Red Sox this season. He's pitched to an 18.00 ERA while striking out five and walking six batters.
Reese McGuire hasn’t participated in baseball activities since landing on the IL with an oblique strain.
McGuire did stand in the box while Schreiber threw live batting practice on Tuesday afternoon. “He said he felt sore the last two days,” reported Cora. “Today, he’s feeling better.” His injury occurred while on the road in Minnesota, he strained his right oblique muscle while swinging in an at-bat. The Sox recalled Caleb Hamilton from the WooSox to replace him on the 26-man roster.