The Red Sox are hoping to have a pair of infielders back soon after each has been sidelined for months due to injury. Shortstop Trevor Story continued his rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa began his rehab assignment with Worcester in the same game.
Story, who underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia and has been on the injured list since May 16, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, an RBI and a run scored in the WooSox’s 9-7 win over Syracuse. Over his first two games for Worcester, he was 1-for-5 with a single.
Story played six innings at shortstop on Wednesday and could be on the verge of returning to Boston’s lineup as soon as this weekend when the Red Sox open a series with the Giants at Fenway Park.
“It’s possible,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said on Monday. “But to be perfectly honest with you, we haven't discussed that yet. The initial part is, he obviously did a ton of work here as far as building himself up [before the rehab assignment], but we're really just eyeballing Tuesday and Wednesday. Let’s get through that, have him play seven to nine innings, see how his legs feel.”
Prior to going on the IL, Story -- who was playing through pain early this season -- had a .547 OPS with three homers in 41 games for Boston.
Kiner-Falefa, meanwhile, went 1-for-3 with a single, a walk and a run scored. He played seven innings at second base before he was pinch-hit for by Mikey Romero in the eighth. Kiner-Falefa has been on the IL due to a stress fracture in his left forearm since June 20. Prior to that, he had a .277/.344/.361 slash line with seven steals in 47 games in his first season with the Red Sox.
Andruw Monasterio has filled in admirably at shortstop in Story’s absence, and has been hitting particularly well of late. He has posted a .743 OPS in 87 games this season, primarily playing short, though also seeing time at first, second, third and designated hitter. Upon Story’s return, Monasterio could slide over to second base or move around the infield to keep his bat in the lineup.
Outfielder/designated hitter Roman Anthony, who has been on the IL since May 7 due to a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger, had a scheduled off-day on Wednesday as he continues his own Minor League rehab assignment. He was 2-for-2 with a homer and two walks for Double-A Portland on Tuesday.