Masataka Yoshida missed the buzz of the ballpark while away from Red Sox
Ceddanne Rafaela
began the game on the bench. Manager
Alex
Cora
said the team has discussed starting him in the infield at times to help alleviate the outfield logjam, but they haven't decided if they actually will do it.
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In recent weeks, Cora has resisted that idea because Rafaela is so good in center field and because he feels leaving him in one position makes it easier for Rafaela to play well.
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'He's been running around for a while,' Cora said. 'I know he's been swinging the bat well. One day on the bench is not going to stop him from hitting. You actually avoid him getting tired.
'We're going to mix and match . . . Everybody is on board. Everybody understands what we're all about, what we're trying to accomplish and there are no complaints.'
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Cora listed four members of that group, which will form a rotation of sorts: Yoshida, Rafaela,
Jarren Duran
(started in center field Wednesday), and
Wilyer Abreu
.
Notably not included was rookie
Roman Anthony
, who is in a different category and who made his Fenway Park left field debut in the finale against the Rockies.
'He's playing,' Cora said. 'He'll get off days like everybody else, but he's playing most of the games.'
A big factor in the playing-time decision-making, at least in the near future: Giving Yoshida a chance to 'get going' at the plate, Cora said.
He played through a right shoulder injury last year, then had surgery to repair his labrum in October, then navigated a series of setbacks. Finally healthy, Yoshida said he is able to finish swings pain-free, which was not the case previously.
That may well yield an even better version of Yoshida than what the Red Sox saw previously.
'You can see it in BP. He's backspinning the ball again, the way he did in '23,' Cora said, referencing Yoshida's rookie season. 'Now, I think he's going to get back to that where it counts, look for pitches in his honey hole, and drive it.'
Yoshida said he is 'stronger than ever' — and lifting weights with more intensity than normal over the summer.
'As far as the swing goes, not a problem,' he said. 'It all comes down to applying that [increased strength] to the game.'
To clear a spot for Yoshida on the active roster, the Red Sox sent utility man
Nate Eaton
— their leadoff hitter the previous four days — to Triple A Worcester. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, they transferred reliever
Nick Burdi
(hip problems) to the 60-day IL.
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Bregman gets closer
Alex Bregman
(right quad strain) remains on track to return from the injured list late this week, which is apparently not at all a surprise to Cora relative to expectations when Bregman got hurt in late May.
'He was actually shooting for before,' Cora said 'When you set your mind on something, a goal, and you put in the effort and you trust the people around you — our trainers are really good — good things happen.
'He hasn't had any setbacks. He's been on point with every treatment. Very vocal when he needed and compared it to what he went through in '21, and he's been very honest about it. I trust our medical staff, strength and conditioning, I trust all those guys over there. I trust the player too . . . If we decide it's this weekend, it's because everybody feels like he's ready.'
As the rotation turns
They haven't announced a fill-in for Friday, but it likely will be
Hunter Dobbins
, who is due to return from a strained right elbow.
Does Cora have a preference on whether
'My preference is probably not
Rob
[
Manfred's
] preference,' Cora said, 'but we'll see.'
Clock ticking on Houck
Tanner Houck
(right flexor pronator strain) made a sixth rehab appearance Wednesday, allowing one run and three hits in 4⅓ innings with Worcester. He struck out six, walked two, and threw 76 pitches.
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His 30-day rehab clock is due to expire at the end of the All-Star break, so the Red Sox have to decide what to do with him. Cora said they have not discussed it yet . . . On Puerto Rican Heritage Night, Cora and
Mike Lowell
caught first pitches from Alex's twin sons,
Isander
and
Xander
. The boys turn 8 years old later this month.'
Peter Abraham also contributed to this report.
Tim Healey can be reached at
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