BOSTON -- Fans in Portland, Maine, should have a Major League battery to watch Monday night
The current plan is that two rehabbing Red Sox players -- lefty Eduardo Rodriguez and catcher Christian Vazquez -- will start that night for the Double-A Sea Dogs against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
For Vazquez, it will be his first game action since he broke his right pinkie finger July 7.
Rodriguez will be making his second rehab start in his comeback from a severe sprain in his right ankle.
While the start in Portland likely will mark the end of Rodriguez's rehab assignment before he is cleared to return to Boston's starting rotation, Vazquez could get rehab at-bats until the Minor League season ends Sept. 3.
At that point, he should have the necessary timing at the plate and in the field to return to the Red Sox.
Vazquez had been sharing catching duties with Sandy Leon before the injury. Leon has been the starter during Vazquez's absence, with Blake Swihart serving as the backup.
Devers likely to get at-bats before activation
Third baseman Rafael Devers (left hamstring strain) is eligible to return from the disabled list Sunday, when the Red Sox are at Tampa Bay, but he's more likely to start a Minor League rehab assignment around that time.
This is the second time Devers has been on the DL with the same injury in less than a month.
"He didn't play for 10 days," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "He came back, now he's not playing for [another] 10 days. He probably needs the at-bats, but the at-bats down there are burning out as we know. I think it will be good for him to go out there, and if that's the decision, for him to get in rhythm and then come back with us."
Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt have shared the at-bats at third base during the time missed by Devers. It remains to be seen how the playing time will be divvied up when Devers is back.
"We'll go from there," Cora said. "We know, his bat, when he's right, he provides power from the bottom of the lineup. But at the same time, I do feel that Eduardo and Brock, they're putting up quality at-bats on a nightly basis. Just like when Ian [Kinsler] was down, those two guys played great at second base. Them together, they're a pretty good second basemen together, and they're doing the same thing at third base."
Dunking twins
The 42-year-old Cora keeps busy away from the ballpark hanging out with his 13-month-old twins, Xander and Isander.
On Wednesday, the manager came to his press conference beaming over their latest milestone.
"Big update: The twins grabbed the basketball today and dunked it. Wow. I was so excited," said Cora. "There was one who grabbed it right way and dunked and the other one was like, 'Nah' and I was like, 'C'mon, man.' I wanted it to be real good, both of them. The other one was struggling and I was like, 'C'mon, bro!'"