CLEVELAND -- The latest MRI exam on Reds slugger Eugenio Suárez's left oblique, taken on Thursday, showed the results he and the club wanted to see.
“It showed really good healing and I think they felt like he hasn’t had any [symptoms], so they’re trying to turn him loose a little bit, but also somewhat smartly. Trying not to go too far, too fast," manager Terry Francona said on Friday.
Suárez, who was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 25 (retroactive to April 23) after he strained the oblique taking a batting-practice swing, was cleared to do all the normal pregame work on the field with the team at Progressive Field. The 34-year-old was scheduled to stretch, hit, take ground balls and run the bases.
“If everything goes the way we hope, he’ll start hitting off the velocity machine like maybe even [Saturday]. We’ll see how it goes," Francona said.
The Reds have discussed a future Minor League rehab assignment for Suárez, but Francona noted that it was too early to schedule or have a target date.