Alex Bregman is returning to the Red Sox roster before the All-Star break after all.
Boston’s star third baseman is expected to be activated from the injured list during this weekend’s four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Herald confirmed.
On Wednesday, manager Alex Cora described the impending roster move as “likely,” explaining the Red Sox feel comfortable with their star returning to the lineup without a rehab assignment.
Since Bregman opted to forgo his third career All-Star Game, he can test the waters during the Rays series, then use next week’s break to continue his workouts, build additional running volume, and make any adjustments he may need. This plan should allow him to hit the ground running, so to speak, when the Red Sox open the second half on July 18 at Wrigley Field.
Bregman last played on May 23, when he exited the top of a Baltimore Orioles doubleheader at Fenway with a severe quad strain. He’s credited the Red Sox trainers and medical personnel for helping him heal faster than expected. When he suffered a similar quad injury in 2021, he was out of the Houston Astros lineup for 10 weeks.
He was hitting a career-best .299, and putting up his second-highest slugging percentage and OPS when he went down. Yet even after missing over seven weeks, his hot start to the season has kept him afloat in several defensive and offensive rankings. He entered Wednesday sixth among AL third baseman in assists (106), tied for third in Defensive Runs Saved (5), and second in double plays turned (14). Only 16 American League batters are worth more offensive WAR, including Bregman’s teammates, Ceddanne Rafaela and Carlos Narváez.
Among AL third baseman with at least 100 plate appearances, Bregman remains first in on-base percentage and top-five in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), home runs, runs, RBI, BB%, Isolated Power (ISO), slugging percentage, wRC+, wOBA, batting average and BABIP. Overall, he ranks in the 78th MLB percentile or better in expected wOBA, average exit velocity, Batting Run Value, Chase %, Hard-Hit% and Whiff %.
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