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Red Sox roster battles: Two rehabbing starters take big step, 2B candidate likely to miss time
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- Red Sox roster battles: Two rehabbing starters take big step, 2B candidate likely to miss time
While the Red Sox were playing the Braves in North Port on Friday, two starters on the road back from injury took big steps forward at Fenway South.
Rotation candidates Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval each threw live batting practice sessions at JetBlue Park on Friday, manager Alex Cora told reporters. It marked the first time Crawford, who missed all of last season with knee and wrist issues, had faced hitters since the summer. Sandoval threw his first live session on February 13 and has now faced hitters three times after missing last year with setbacks in his recovery from elbow surgery.
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Cora said the club was pleased with both outings.
“Crawford was amazing. He was really good,” Cora told reporters in North Port. “Sandy did a good job... Bails (pitching coach Andrew Bailey) was really happy with the way they both went. A good step for both of them... Bails was really happy with the way they threw the ball.”
Cora expects both pitchers to throw an up-and-down (two-inning) live BP session next, perhaps as early as the middle of next week. At that point, game action could be close. Sandoval is ahead of Crawford because Crawford had the flu right before the start of spring training and had his build-up interrupted.
Both pitchers are competing with Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle for the No. 5 spot in the rotation . Early will follow Sonny Gray in relief Saturday at JetBlue Park in his second outing of the spring.
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Rodgers likely to miss time
The Red Sox are still sifting through MRI results on non-roster infielder Brendan Rodgers, who suffered a shoulder injury during Wednesday’s game diving for a ball at second base. There’s no word yet if there’s structural damage but Rodgers, more than 48 hours after suffering the injury, remains sore, according to a source.
At this point, a source said Friday, the club is looking at next steps when it comes to Rodgers’ recovery but knows it’s likely going to take some time for him to return. A dark horse candidate for at-bats at second base with Romy Gonzalez out of the Opening Day picture, Rodgers appears likely to begin the regular season on the injured list.
Samaniego improving
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Tyler Samaniego , a left-handed reliever competing for a bullpen spot , is expected to get into game action soon, a source said. He was supposed to make his spring debut Sunday but was scratched due to back tightness.
That issue turned out to be minor and Samaniego was back to throwing in the bullpen this week. He will soon mount his bid to crack the Opening Day roster. Veteran Jovani Morán is the most likely lefty reliever (outside of Aroldis Chapman ) to make the team.
Other injury updates
Three pitchers in camp on non-roster invites are unavailable to pitch in games. Righties Osvaldo Berrios and Hobie Harris and lefty Alec Gamboa are currently sidelined; none of the three were expected to make the Opening Day roster.
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Depth infielder Anthony Seigler , who was acquired along with Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio from the Brewers, has not yet made his spring debut. He is day to day with a knee issue and is back to taking batting practice, according to Mac Cerullo of The Boston Herald .
Nothing has changed with Gonzalez, who said this week he doesn’t expect to be ready for Opening Day . First baseman Triston Casas isn’t playing in games yet, either, as he finishes the final steps in his rehab from a season-ending knee injury last May. Righty Tanner Houck will begin the season on the 60-day injured list and is in the early steps of his recovery from August Tommy John surgery.
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