BOSTON — It’s approaching a week since Nathan Eovaldi had his throwing program shut down.
The right-hander was on track to return by the end of June from arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. Now Eovaldi is battling a touch of biceps tendinitis and had a bullpen session pushed back last weekend.
"He’s feeling better," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We just have to make sure he feels great [...]
BOSTON — It’s approaching a week since Nathan Eovaldi had his throwing program shut down.
The right-hander was on track to return by the end of June from arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. Now Eovaldi is battling a touch of biceps tendinitis and had a bullpen session pushed back last weekend.
“He’s feeling better,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We just have to make sure he feels great — that’s the most important thing. Whatever it is, whenever it is, then we’ll decide what we’re going to do after that.”
Eovaldi’s last start came on April 17 against the Yankees, a night where he turned in six strong innings. The Red Sox have cycled through a host of arms in Eovaldi’s place the last two months, and his place in the rotation comes up again on Sunday against the Orioles. Brian Johnson (left elbow) could come off the injured list to take the ball after turning in four effective innings with Triple-A Pawtucket last time out.
“He threw the ball well,” Cora said. “I actually talked to (PawSox pitching coach Kevin) Walker today and we talked about his outing — the last one. There was more conviction, better command of the pitches and now he feels like he’s ready.”
Johnson hasn’t appeared since the tail end of the opening West Coast swing against the Diamondbacks. Hector Velazquez (lower back strain) could also start a rehab assignment this weekend as Boston attempts to restore its pitching staff depth.
“We always talk about Nathan, but we don’t talk about Hector and (Johnson) and what they did for us last year,” Cora said. “They were huge for what we did.”
On his way back
Steve Pearce (lower back strain) is set to join Class A Lowell on a rehab assignment.
Pearce took batting practice on the field on Wednesday and has gone through several full baseball workouts in recent days. He’s been out of action since a four-game series against the Yankees as May turned to June.
“I think physically he’s in a great spot,” Cora said. “Just a few at-bats are going to help him out. Obviously running around and playing a little bit of defense just to make sure.”
Pearce suffered a left calf strain that interrupted his spring training and was mired in an early slump upon coming off the injured list. He was coming on before suffering the new injury at New York, hitting in seven of his last nine games and compiling a .938 OPS.
Ortiz update
Cora spoke by phone with David Ortiz’s wife, Tiffany, on Wednesday.
The manager had hoped to visit with his former teammate prior to Boston’s upcoming six-game road swing through Baltimore and Minnesota. Cora said he’ll attempt to see Ortiz when the Red Sox finish their three-game series with the Twins. The club has its next scheduled off day on Thursday.
“The kids are doing okay,” Cora said. “She’s holding strong. The big man is being the big man. She said he’s just a beast. Hopefully everything keeps going the right way and when we come back we’ll be able to visit him.”
The former Boston slugger continues to recover at Massachusetts General Hospital after being shot on Sunday night. Tiffany Ortiz released a statement early Wednesday thanking doctors in the Dominican Republic for saving her husband’s life via emergency surgery.
“He continues to heal and progress,” she said in part.
Saluting the Bruins
Cora was among those watching on Wednesday night when the Boston Bruins fell in the deciding Game 7 of their Stanley Cup final series with the St. Louis Blues.
Boston was denied its third major professional sports championship since the Red Sox captured the World Series against the Dodgers in October. Detroit was the last city to turn the trick from 1935-36, with the Tigers, Lions and Red Wings all capturing titles.
“The city should be proud,” Cora said. “Obviously we get judged by results, but I think once everything wears down people will recognize how great they were this year.”
Boston dropped to 12-6 in its last 18 championship games or series appearances. The Red Sox are a perfect 4-0 in the World Series since the Patriots touched things off by downing the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI in February, 2002.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25