The Boston Red Sox were hopeful that outfielder Shane Victorino finally would be able to rejoin the team this weekend. That option now appears to be off the table.
Manager John Farrell said before Wednesday’s game in Seattle that Victorino suffered a “setback” in his rehab, and that the team now does not have a timetable for his return to the lineup.
The outfielder reported soreness in his lower back after a game Tuesday at Triple-A Pawtucket and was not in the PawSox’s lineup Wednesday night.
“We’re well aware of the history here of the year-plus and all that he’s encountered,” Farrell said, via the Boston Herald. “We’re going to go by the complete guidance of the medical staff.”
Injuries have limited Victorino to just 21 games this season, with his most recent appearance coming back on May 23. While he’s been working his way back, his fellow Red Sox outfielders — with the exception of the recently converted Brock Holt — have struggled mightily at the plate, with Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava and Jackie Bradley Jr. all carrying batting averages of .238 or lower.
“(Victorino)Â would be a positive addition, there’s no question about it,” Farrell said. “His defense, his baseball instincts on the basepaths, what he does particularly against left-handed pitching, until we get him back, we’re going to miss him.”
The Red Sox will look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Mariners on Wednesday before traveling to the Bronx for a three-game series with the New York Yankees.
