The Red Sox have eight players on the Injured List. While most of those players don’t mean much in terms of production or impact, there are a few on that list that will make an immediate impact on their return.
Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi had a procedure done on April 23 to remove loose bodies from his right elbow and was expected to miss about six weeks of action. Nate threw a two-inning simulated game on Tuesday before the opener in Kansas City. His simulated game consisted of 37 warm-up pitches, followed by 20 pitches in the first inning and 16 in the second for a total of 73 pitches. Eovaldi’s next step would be a rehab game, where he will then be further assessed. It’s believed he could return as quickly as June 15.
Alex Cora was asked if Nate would still be a starter when he returned, and his answer has remained, “As of now, yes.” Eovaldi’s return to the team would bring much help to a bullpen that has been overworked recently, allowing Cora to move the spot starters back for more situational pitching.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson has been out since April 6 with left shoulder inflammation. Johnson’s road to recovery has required more work than he had initially thought. Johnson had previously thrown just 1.2 innings on May 15 for the PawSox, giving up two runs on three hits. He had since spent time rehabbing in Double-A Portland. Brian pitched his second rehab start for the PawSox in his quest to return to Boston. Johnson pitched on Tuesday against Lehigh Valley. Johnson allowed two hits and two walks, throwing 27 of his 48 pitches for strikes. Moreover, he induced six ground ball outs, including a double play.
Steven Wright
An often forgotten part of the Red Sox rotation, Steven Wright is soon eligible to start a minor league rehab assignment. The knuckleballer can begin his assignment on June 10, 15 days prior to when the Red Sox can reactivate him from his 80-game suspension for PEDs. Steven has thrown a few simulated games and has reported that his knee is feeling strong. It is believed that Steven will be strictly a bullpen arm and the numbers back up that argument. In 16 relief appearances last season, the right-hander posted a 1.52 ERA.
Steve Pearce
The Red Sox finally got Mitch Moreland back before the Rays game on Friday. However, they can’t say the same for Steve Pearce, who has returned to Boston, but has not started working out. There is no current timeline for the return of the reigning World Series MVP who injured his back in the series finale against the Yankees.
