Red Sox Roster Update: Alex Cora Offers Latest On COVID-Impacted Players

The Boston Red Sox activated two players — Kiké Hernández Danny Santana — off their COVID-19 Related Injured list on Tuesday, but nine members of the team remain.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora offered updates on a handful of those players Tuesday before Boston hosted the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

— Cora said he thinks Xander Bogaerts will be able to return Friday, and was trying to look at the bright side with the shortstop out since Aug. 31.

“He feels great,” Cora said of Bogaerts. “You never want guys to miss time because of this, but it’s where he’s at and maybe it will benefit him in the sense of he will be fresh, quote on quote, and let’s see how he finishes the season and help us make it to the playoffs.”

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— Cora explained how Boston’s pitchers that were added to the list on Aug. 30 — Martín Pérez, Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor, etc. — are getting closer to their respective returns, too. Pérez, Barnes and Taylor were the third, fourth and fifth members added, respectively, after Hernández and Arroyo.

“They’re feeling good. It’s kind of at around the same time table,” Cora said. “We’ll keep playing it by ear. One thing for sure, they all feel good. It hasn’t been like Kiké early on or Christian (Arroyo) in Cleveland. Hopefully they can be with us soon.”

— Arroyo, as noted by Cora, may not be on the same timetable to return, unfortunately. He was placed on the list Aug. 29.

“Christian is still in Cleveland. I’m not sure if he’s supposed to fly tonight or drive tonight, but for his it’s been a little harder than other guys,” Cora said. “It got him pretty good. I think in his situation it’s going to be longer than what we expected.”

— Cora revealed how starting pitcher Nick Pivetta did test positive for COVID-19. Still, Cora is hopeful Pivetta, who is asymptomatic, could return as early as this weekend.