While much of the focus continues to be on whether or not David Ortiz will be ready for Opening Day, there’s a completely separate issue brewing at the shortstop position.
Stephen Drew, who suffered a concussion when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch on March 7, is still experiencing symptoms, and it’s unclear at this point when he’ll return to the diamond.
“[Drew is] frustrated, because a lot of his normal everyday is normal. Yet when he gets to some loud areas, that has an affect,” Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters on Friday. “Any kind of quick movements, it’s almost like the vision takes a little bit of time there to catch up. There’s a little bit of a delay there. Those are all classic symptoms of a mild concussion.”
Drew has been undergoing physical testing in an effort to monitor how he responds to strenuous activity, but he hasn’t played in a game since the March 7 beanball. Farrell said that it’s too early to tell how much time Drew will need to get back into game shape, but the team’s April 1 season opener is rapidly approaching.
“Time down is not good,” Farrell said. “Probably better answer that question based on how much time he will miss. We still feel like there’s going to be a few yet before he’s going to get back on the field.”
Drew’s absence means Jose Iglesias, Pedro Ciriaco and Brock Holt could be playing for much more than initially thought throughout the rest of spring training.
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