CHICAGO — Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten, who has been on the injured list since June 1 with right shoulder inflammation, has begun playing catch again.
Slaten played catch on June 27 but the Red Sox halted his throwing progression at that point and limited him to plyo work in the gym “to get his strength back.”
“Just playing catch but that’s a big step,” manager Alex Cora said before Boston’s game against the Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field. “From plyos in the weight room to playing catch, that’s positive news. He’s very important.”
The 27-year-old righty has a 3.47 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, four holds, three saves and a .171 batting average against in 24 outings.
Two other Red Sox relievers are also progressing.
Liam Hendriks — who has been on the IL since May 30 (retroactive to May 28) with right hip inflammation — is throwing out to 120 feet. He had been transferred to the 60-day IL July 8 after experiencing a setback.
Hendriks has struggled this season, allowing 10 earned runs in 13 ⅔ innings (6.59 ERA).
Luis Guerrero — who has been on the IL since June 28 with a right elbow strain — is in Fort Myers where he’s “about to start throwing bullpens,” Cora said. Guerrero has allowed eight earned runs in 17 ⅓ innings (4.15 ERA).
“We’re in a good spot bullpen-wise but we’re going to get better,” Cora said.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
