Decision time is drawing nearer as three Red Sox players continue to progress well through their respective rehab assignments.<\/p>\n
Interim manager Chad Tracy said prior to Saturday night\u2019s home game against the San Francisco Giants that he \u201cwouldn\u2019t rule it out\u201d that the Red Sox could activate shortstop Trevor Story, outfielder Roman Anthony or utility-man Isiah Kiner-Falefa during the next series in Miami.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it really just depends on, again, like how they feel after today, tomorrow, like we\u2019ll figure out what we\u2019re going to do going forward and see where they\u2019re at,\u201d Tracy said. \u201cSo I wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019d rule it out, but we\u2019re still going to, as we get them through this phase, like talk and see where we\u2019re at and like what makes the most sense for us, for them, and everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
Story (sports hernia) played his fourth game with Triple-A Worcester on Friday. Kiner-Falefa (forearm) and Story were first and second, respectively, in the WooSox lineup Saturday evening at the New York Mets\u2019 Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse; the former started at second base, the latter at short.<\/p>\n
Anthony (hand) is slated to play the outfield for Double-A Portland on Sunday, after a scheduled day off Saturday. The 22-year-old rising star is 3 for 8 (.375) with a home run, double, three RBI, two walks and three strikeouts through his first three rehab games.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody got through it, got (at-bats), physically came out fine,\u201d Tracy said of the players\u2019 Friday games. \u201cSo just keep pushing \u2018em along, and see, keep checking in on how everybody\u2019s doing physically.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boston already has a trio of Gold Glove-caliber outfielders in right fielder Wilyer Abreu (a winner each of the last two seasons), centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (\u201825) and left fielder Jarren Duran. Tracy suggested Anthony\u2019s role will be more heavily weighed toward designated hitter, with some outfield mixed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a case of needing him to be able to play it every day,\u201d Tracy said. \u201cYou obviously want him out there. \u2026 We\u2019ve seen with (Masataka Yoshida), something could happen in a blink, and then you need him to be out there regularly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo he\u2019s got to get reps out there, and he\u2019s got to get on his feet and play out there. But I don\u2019t think it\u2019s an everyday scenario that he needs to be able to play left field every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony\u2019s return also gives the Red Sox more matchup flexibility. Duran struggles to hit left-handed pitching, and entered Saturday with a .216 average and .570 OPS against southpaws this season. Anthony owns a .280 average and .738 OPS through 136 career plate appearances against lefties (70 games).<\/p>\n
\u201cYou certainly can see options where if there\u2019s a lefty starter, that you might want to keep Roman in there, maybe Jarren doesn\u2019t (play),\u201d Tracy said. \u201cIn that case, you need to play left. So it\u2019s important to get him some reps out there and make sure he\u2019s ready to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
A key bullpen arm is also progressing toward a far more rapid return than the aforementioned players, all of whom have been down for over two months. Tracy said he thought \u201call went well\u201d when Garrett Whitlock threw Friday. The right-hander may throw a side on Sunday, and the Red Sox hope he can bypass a rehab assignment and simply come back after reaching the pitching injured list\u2019s 15-day minimum.<\/p>\n
Whitlock last pitched Aug. 9. He owns a 2.05 ERA through 45 appearances this year, with 49 strikeouts and just seven walks across 44 innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really just going to be a matter of, when do we get him off the mound for a side? And then do we feel like he needs to do a quick live (batting practice) or something like that first,\u201d Tracy said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if we\u2019ll have him right on date, but if we\u2019re not right on date, knock on wood, obviously, he\u2019s got a couple boxes to check, but I hope we\u2019re at least close.\u201d<\/p>\n
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