Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright made some serious progress on Wednesday, throwing two innings of batting practice. Wright has not pitched to batters since undergoing left knee surgery in May 2017.
“This is the last hurdle, just to be out there and see hitters, be on the mound, react to swings and we’ll see what happens after that,” manager Alex Cora told reporters.
The ultimate test for Wright will be overcoming the mental challenges that came along with the injury.
“Every day I go out there and get off the mound, it’s just stressing it more and more,” Wright said. “That’s what I’ve got to do. That’s why I’ve got to do stuff like live BP. It’s putting more stress on it than I have since before the injury. I feel pretty good where it’s at right now. It’s just a matter of getting that stamina back, and a lot of it is mental, just getting over the fact that I can do it. Before I had the surgery, every time I would land, it would hurt. Now, it’s just getting that mental lapse over the fact that my knee is good.”
Although Wright is far from fully recovered, this is a huge step towards his return to the mound. Cora and Red Sox pitching coach Dana LeVangie are closely monitoring the knuckleballer’s progress in order to determine their next move.
“I think if he’s good enough today and let’s see how he reacts tomorrow, then we make a decision if we pitch him on the big field already and start building up or if we keep him in the back fields,” Cora said.
John Farrell joins Reds front office
Former Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell will join the Cincinnati Reds organization as a scout, according to multiple league sources.
Farrell’s five-year career in Boston ended last season when he was fired with one year left on his contract. He led the Sox to a World Series Championship in 2013 as well as two last-place finishes.
According to ESPN, Farrell is expected to report to the Reds’ Spring Training camp on Thursday.
