Boston Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday.
Victorino, who hasn’t appeared in a major league game this season because of a Grade 1 hamstring strain he suffered in the Red Sox’s final spring training contest, batted three times and played six defensive innings in right field for the PawSox. The 33-year-old went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Alex Hassan.
Victorino fouled out to first base, grounded out to third base and flied out to the warning track in left field Saturday, although his first rehab game was more about his ability to test his injured hamstring. The Flyin’ Hawaiian reportedly hustled down the line on his groundout to third base and ran well while chasing a popup in the outfield.
“Those were two pretty good tests for him,” PawSox manager Kevin Boles said, according to the Providence Journal’s Tim Britton. “He was aggressive. There was no hesitation at all.”
Victorino is expected to play two more rehab games with Pawtucket on Monday and Tuesday. He’ll then be reevaluated by the Red Sox, and it’s possible he could rejoin the big league club by the end of Boston’s current seven-game homestand.
