Red Sox Injury Updates: Alex Bregman, Justin Slaten Timelines Adjusted

The Red Sox’s list of walking wounded won’t be getting shorter any time in the near future. Third baseman Alex Bregman, who’s on the injured list with a right quad strain, might not return until mid-July, according to the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey.

“It ‘looks like’ Alex Bregman won’t be back until after the All-Star break,” Healey reported Wednesday after talking to Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “So that would be July 18 at the earliest.”

That update is disappointing, considering what Cora was saying just a few days ago.

“We’re getting closer for him to join us,” Cora told reporters Sunday before the team’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants, per Healey. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen this week or the week after, but it feels like it’s going to be sooner rather than later.”

There’s no word on what led Cora to change his tune on Bregman’s recovery. ESPN reports Bregman has been running but hasn’t resumed baseball activities.

The 31-year-old All-Star slugger has been sidelined since May 24. Bregman hit .299 with 35 RBIs in 51 games prior to the injury.

The news isn’t much better on reliever Justin Slaten. Cora said Wednesday the right-hander still hasn’t resumed throwing, according to Healey.

Slaten, 27, landed on the injured list June 1 with shoulder fatigue. Earlier this month, Healey reported Slaten has an “apparent nerve issue in his neck, which is impacting his shoulder.”

“We don’t even really know what to call it,” Slaten told Healey.

Before going down, Slaten made 24 appearances out of the Red Sox bullpen, going 1-4 with three saves while posting a 3.47 ERA.