Red Sox Injuries: Alex Cora Gives Update On Dustin Pedroia, Other Players

Before Wednesday night’s game against the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided updates on three of Boston’s injured players.

Tyler Thornburg, who hasn’t pitched for the Sox due to injury since being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in Dec. 2016, has made four rehab appearances. In those outings, he’s allowed just two hits, three walks and has struck out six over 3 2/3 innings. Cora said there are still a few things to work out with Thornburg before the right-hander will make his way to the bullpen for Boston.

“His rehab process, obviously he’s not pitching every day. He hasn’t gone back to back. We haven’t used him yet with traffic on the bases,” Cora said before Wednesday night’s game, via WEEI’s Ryan Hannable. “The feedback is good. The fastball is there. Breaking ball is getting better. Slowly but surely he’s getting where we want him to be. When he passes all those hurdles, we’ll make a decision.”

Another pitching decision Cora will have to make is how he will utilize Steven Wright, who, as of Wednesday, has five games remaining on his 15-game suspension. He’s made one appearance for the Triple-A Pawtucket, where he tossed six innings of run-one ball out of the bullpen. Wright has not appeared in an MLB contest since April 29, 2017, due to a knee injury.

His next appearance also will be out of the bullpen, and given Wright does not have any minor league options, Cora will have to decide what the knuckleballer’s role will be.

Cora also provided an update on Dustin Pedroia, who’s recovering from offseason knee surgery. The second baseman has been playing in an extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., but the Sox skipper would not give a timetable as to when he would begin a rehab assignment.

“He’s playing tomorrow,” Cora said per Hannable. “Five innings, three at-bats, then we go from there.”

Cora will have plenty of decisions to make regarding the roster when the three injured players make their return to the Sox, so there likely will be some lineup shuffling over the coming weeks.