BOSTON — It appears Andrew Benintendi indeed will be a part of the Red Sox’s playoff push.
The rookie outfielder participated in sliding drills at Fenway Park on Monday in one of the final steps of his rehab from a sprained left knee he suffered on Aug. 24 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Shortly after that session, manager John Farrell said he expects Benintendi to rejoin the team within the next few days.
“Everything points to him coming back this week,” Farrell said ahead of Boston’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. “The fact that we’re getting him back with 15-18 games remaining is a hell of a lot more than we anticipated when he came off the field in Tampa. So, I think from that standpoint, we’re looking at it as a plus.”
Benintendi has been taking batting practice for the last five-to-six days, per Farrell, and will take live at-bats Tuesday in a simulated game at Fenway that will feature pitcher Henry Owens and a few other members of the Red Sox’s expanded roster.
If all goes well in Tuesday’s session, the 22-year-old super prospect could return as early as Wednesday.
“He came through it fine,” Farrell said of Benintendi’s sliding workout Monday. “The sliding, the aggressiveness that he went about it — that was the last physical test for him to pass. So, (Tuesday), we’ll get him some live at-bats. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to be activated after that.”
Benintendi was hitting .324 through 21 games and had emerged as Boston’s everyday left fielder before going down with the injury. But Brock Holt and Chris Young both have filled in nicely in Benintendi’s absence, giving Farrell the luxury of easing his rookie back into action if he so chooses.
“He’s missed a couple weeks; he’s going to have to work himself back in a little bit,” Farrell added. “And just because Andrew will be activated with us doesn’t mean Brock or CY are going to be forgotten about.”
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
