Red Sox Plan For ‘Baseball Freak’ Alex Bregman To Still Contribute While On IL

BOSTON — Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman won’t disappear into the shadows after landing on the 10-day injured list with a “severe” right quad strain.

Even though Bregman won’t be on the diamond for the foreseeable future, he still plans to make his presence felt around the Red Sox.

That will come in many forms, but mostly it will be with Bregman continuing to fulfill his role as a leader from the dugout and within the clubhouse. It’s something Red Sox manager Alex Cora already saw out of Bregman in the aftermath of his injury.

“You saw it (Saturday) in the dugout. He’s locked in,” Cora said prior to Sunday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. “He got here today at 8:15 (am). So, nothing is going to change. I bet he’s going to have his group chats and sending scouting reports and what he sees. This guy, he’s a baseball freak. He loves it and he’ll find a way to contribute when he’s on the IL.”

The Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract this offseason partly because of his exceptional leadership qualities, and the two-time World Series champion hasn’t disappointed in that regard.

Bregman’s teammates and Cora have lauded his leadership, commending Bregman for always thinking about the game. He “challenges” his teammates to take on the same mindset, too.

Cora said Bregman will not travel with the team during its six-game road trip this week to take on the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves. The Red Sox want Bregman to focus on his rehab, but there’s no doubt he’ll be keeping an eye on the team from afar.

“The most important thing is his rehab,” Cora said. “We have to do that first. I think staying here is the most important thing.”