Alex Cora gives Red Sox injury updates on Wilyer Abreu, Jordan Hicks, others

PHOENIX — It would be a miracle for the Red Sox to get Roman Anthony back by the end of the regular season, which concludes on September 28. But another starting outfielder is still on track to return to the roster.

Right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who has been sidelined since August 18 with a right calf strain, stayed back in Boston and didn’t travel with the team out west. He’ll try to run on his injured leg Saturday at Fenway Park in hopes he can ramp up quickly.

Abreu tried to push his calf by running last week in Baltimore but didn’t feel good enough to keep progressing.

“He’s supposed to run tomorrow so we’ll know tomorrow night,” said manager Alex Cora. “He’s going to run for the first time since Baltimore.”

Abreu is not expected to require a rehab stint before rejoining the lineup. Boston might be trying to line things up so he returns next Friday, when the club starts a six-game homestand with a series against the Yankees. For now, Cora said, expect Rob Refsnyder to get more at-bats against both lefties and righties. Nate Eaton is in right field for Friday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks.

Hicks hits IL

Reliever Jordan Hicks was officially placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder tendinitis and left-hander Chris Murphy was recalled from Triple-A. It seems to be a case of the Red Sox unplugging Hicks, who has an 8.20 ERA since being traded to the club in June, and citing regular late-season wear-and-tear as a reason why.

“Shoulder tendinitis,” said Cora. “We have to unplug him and Murph is here.”

“Obviously, everybody’s going through stuff. That’s the reality of it. I’m not going to go through the details of every pitcher who’s going through stuff. But after the outing, he talked to (head athletic trainer) Brandon (Henry) and that was the decision we made. We’ve got Murph here.

Harrison in play for Sacramento?

Cora said he had no updates on who will pitch the final two games of the road trip against the Athletics in Sacramento. After Payton Tolle, Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello pitch in Phoenix, the Sox will start likely start ace Garrett Crochet in Monday’s series opener at Sutter Health Park. The pitching plans for the final two games remain to be determined.

Dustin May, who tossed 53 pitches in a three-inning bullpen outing late in Wednesday’s loss, will be an option for one of those games. The Sox likely prefer to avoid pitching Tolle on four days rest — something he hasn’t done all season — Wednesday afternoon. That could be a bullpen game or lefty Kyle Harrison could be in the mix for his long-awaited Red Sox debut.

“We’ll get there when we get there,” said Cora. “We’ve got the D-Backs. We’re living in the present now.

Harrison was a candidate to pitch Wednesday against Cleveland but a minor ankle issue required an MRI in Boston and the Red Sox decided against calling him up. According to Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Harrison threw a bullpen in Worcester on Friday and will likely return to action for a short outing (1 or 2 innings) Sunday. That could put him in play for Wednesday but Cora said he didn’t know much about Harrison’s status.

“First time I’ve heard about it. I’ll talk to Bres (Craig Breslow) and get back to you tomorrow,” Cora said.

No news on Fitts

One arm that is not an option in the coming days is righty Richard Fitts, who is back in Boston as he continues the early stages of his recovery from neuritis in his throwing arm. It seems unlikely — but not impossible — that Fitts returns this year.

“Not much,” Cora said when asked for a Fitts update. “Just gaining his strength.”

There was also no update on reliever Liam Hendriks, who has been out since late May with hip inflammation. He has not yet been ruled out for the season. Anthony, who was placed on the IL with an oblique strain Wednesday, is not with the team in Arizona.