BALTIMORE — Outfielder Rob Refsnyder (left oblique strain) is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list Monday but the Red Sox won’t activate him until Tuesday at the earliest.
He is feeling better and should return in the next couple days.
Reliever Justin Slaten (shoulder) also is trending toward being activated Tuesday or Wednesday.
Slaten made his third rehab appearance Sunday for Triple-A Worcester and retired all three Jacksonville batters he faced. Manager Alex Cora said the 27-year-old righty likely won’t need another rehab appearance.
“He felt good,” Cora said Monday. “Velo was down but not to be worried about it. We’re talking to see what’s next. Probably he won’t need another one. Let’s see how he goes about today and how he feels tomorrow and then we’ll decide.”
Slaten threw one fastball Sunday. It went 95.4 mph while his average velo this season has been 97.0 mph. His four cutters averaged 92.7 mph, almost identical to his season average.
He has allowed one unearned run, one hit and one walk while striking out five in three rehab outings.
Slaten has been on the injured list since June 1 with what was described as “right shoulder inflammation.” He later learned his transverse process/bone was pressing and pinching against nerves and blood vessels, causing the soreness.He said he was born with a transverse process/bone “that was abnormally large and misshaped.“
Refsnyder has missed nine games with his minor oblique strain.
He’s batting .272 with a .357 on-base percentage, .471 slugging percentage, .827 OPS, six homers, nine doubles and 22 RBIs in 54 games (157 plate appearances). He has a .287/.384/.521/.905 line in 112 plate appearances vs. left-handed pitchers.
Wilyer Abreu, who was placed on the IL on Friday after battling calf tightness for a few days, is unlikely to return until next week, Cora said.
“He’s doing OK, progressing,” Cora said. “But I don’t know if it’s going to be this week. We’ll see. Hopefully there’s a jump in the upcoming days. But (head athletic trainer) Brandon (Henry) feels like it’s going to be during the homestand but not this week.”
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