Gyorko will test groin prior to Friday's game

BOSTON -- Jedd Gyorko missed his 23rd consecutive game on Thursday, the result of a nagging right groin strain that won't go away and won't heal at the rate the rookie second baseman wants.

Gyorko has kept himself busy this week at Fenway Park by taking batting practice and ground balls. He has run in the outfield to test the groin and he continues to get treatment from the training staff.

At this point, though, Gyorko just wants to play.

"You still want to watch as much as you can, but it's get pretty old sitting and watching the game every night," Gyorko said on Thursday.

There could be some clarity to his situation soon enough, though.

Gyorko is scheduled to test the groin more this weekend during the Padres' series against the Nationals by running and seeing how the groin responds. If that goes well, the team will examine the groin on Monday when the Padres return home.

"When we get back, we'll test it to see where we go," Gyorko said.

If all had gone according to plan, Gyorko might have been playing Thursday against the Red Sox, though he had a setback in his first Minor League rehabilitation game on June 26 with Double-A San Antonio, as he felt his groin grab as he stretched a single into a double.

Gyorko has been on the disabled list since June 10 and hasn't appeared in a game since June 9, when he suffered the injury running the bases in Colorado.

Manager Bud Black said that Gyorko will need a Minor League rehabilitation stint once he gets cleared to play, though it's not so much to get his timing down at the plate.

"He needs to play in a game to see how the leg is," Black said.