BOSTON -- Ailing Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will take his rehab to Arizona for the foreseeable future.
It has been a tough few weeks for Pedroia, who thought he was fully recovered from extensive offseason surgery on his left knee, only to be shelved with inflammation after just three games.
Pedroia last played for the Red Sox on May 29, and there is no clear timetable on when he will suit up again. Manager Alex Cora still thinks the 34-year-old veteran will return at some point this season.
"I expect him to play," said Cora. "Like I've been saying all along, and it didn't happen the first time, when he comes back, just stay healthy and play. We're not going to put a timetable on this. We'll take it day by day and go from there."
However, as Cora points out, Pedroia's recovery is about far more than 2018.
"This is not about just contributing this year," Cora said. "This is about him playing for us the rest of his career. That's the most important thing."
To help pave the way for a full recovery, Pedroia will be working on strengthening all the areas that surround his knee. And all parties involved felt that he'd be in the best position to do that near his offseason home in Arizona.
"We'd love him to be around here, but I think for now, it's better off from him to go there and disconnect a little bit from all this and just concentrate on himself," Cora said. "There are going to be a few adjustments on the rehab, hammy and core and glutes, so I think that's the best thing we can do right now.
"He's very important for what we're trying to accomplish here, but I think it's time now for him to concentrate on that. And if everything goes the way it should go, then whenever he comes back, he comes back."
The Red Sox have been going with Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt at second base all season. In addition, the club signed 16-year-veteran Brandon Phillips to a Minor League deal last week. In three games with Class A Short Season Lowell, Phillips is 3-for-12 with one homer and three RBIs.
Beeks to help from left side
Jalen Beeks, who has been used exclusively as a starter for Triple-A Pawtucket this season, was recalled by the Red Sox on Tuesday to serve as a lefty out of the bullpen.
To make room for Beeks, the Red Sox optioned righty William Cuevas to Pawtucket.
Rated Boston's No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Beeks started once for the Red Sox, taking a 7-2 loss to the Tigers on June 7.
Beeks joins a Boston bullpen that doesn't have any other lefties at the moment.
"He's been pitching a lot down there," said Cora. "I think it's a good time for him to reset, we feel, as an organization. We see the numbers against lefties, too. He's been dominant. He's a strike thrower, so he'll be coming out of the bullpen."
Another setback for Hernandez
It has been a tough year for Marco Hernandez, who suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder last May, and has had numerous complications in his recovery. On Tuesday, the Red Sox announced the infielder underwent left shoulder anterior stability revision procedure and won't play at all in 2018.
It is the third surgery Hernandez has had since suffering the injury.