After a series win against the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox took hold of the top American League Wild Card spot and got some good news about a few injured players. Rob Refsnyder, Wilyer Abreu and Justin Slaten should all be activated in the coming days to help Boston maintain its lead.
The Red Sox missed the lefty-killing Refsnyder during the Yankees series, particularly in their starts against Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Before Boston's August 24 game, manager Alex Cora said Refsnyder could be back in the lineup as soon as Monday when the Sox take on the Orioles in Baltimore.
Refsnyder has been on the injured list since August 15 with an oblique strain. He may not start until the Sox face lefty pitcher Cade Povich on August 28, but Cora mentioned that he could factor in against some of Baltimore's lefty relievers. He's batting .272/.357/.471 with an .828 OPS this season, and he has a .905 OPS over 94 plate appearances against lefties.
Abreu hasn't played since August 17 when he was pulled from the Red Soxs machup against the Marlins due to calf tightness. The Sox were initially hesitant to put him on the IL and categorized him as day-to-day, but they placed him on the 10-day IL before the Yankees series.
Red Sox expect Rob Refsnyder, Wilyer Abreu and Justin Slaten back from the injured list in the coming days
Abreu is scheduled to run before the Red Sox's Monday game at Camden Yards, and the Red Sox will determine if his recovery can progress. Hopefully he can get back on the field as soon as possible, as he was hitting his stride at the plate before his injury. The outfielder slashed .320/.370/.520 in his seven most recent appearances.
Slaten's impending return will be a huge boost to Boston's bullpen, which has looked rather exhausted in recent weeks. Slaten was initially placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation on May 29, but he ended up having a nerve issue in his neck.
The righty has pitched three scoreless innings in a rehab assignment with the WooSox, the latest of which took him just eight pitches to complete. He's allowed one hit and fanned five batters in his three rehab appearances, and the Red Sox said he may even be able to join them in Baltimore, depending how he feels on Monday. Boston has no plan to rush Slaten back into action, but Cora said he feels ready to get back on the mound.