Stephen Drew could be ready for Red Sox home opener

By Apr 3, 2013, 11:30 PM EDT
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From Tim Britton of the Providence Journal:

After playing two games at extended spring training, shortstop Stephen Drew will begin his rehab assignment on Thursday with Double-A Portland. It’s the Sea Dogs’ opener against the Trenton Thunder.

The plan right now calls for Drew to play four games with Double-A Portland and then join the Red Sox for their home opener on Monday, April 8 against the Orioles. That assumes, of course, that he can avoid setbacks.

Drew suffered a concussion in early March when he was beaned in the batting helmet during a Grapefruit League game. He was finally cleared for game action on Tuesday afternoon.

Jose Iglesias has been filling in at shortstop for the Red Sox.

Blue Jays clinch playoff berth with Orioles’ loss to Red Sox

Associated PressSep 29, 2022, 11:49 PM EDT
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Thomas Skrlj/Getty Images
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TORONTO — The Blue Jays clinched a postseason berth Thursday without taking the field.

Toronto was assured of an AL wild card berth when the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3.

If Toronto holds its current position as the first of the AL’s three wild cards, the Blue Jays would open a best-of-three wild-card series at Rogers Centre next week.

“These guys are excited to be in this position,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after Wednesday’s 8-3 loss to the New York Yankees. “You’ve got three really good pitchers lined up against a good Boston team, playing at home. So I think it’s more excitement more than it’s nerves or anything. I think the guys are going to come out and be ready to roll on Friday night.”

Toronto became the fourth AL team to clinch a playoff berth, joining division champions Houston, the Yankees and Cleveland. The Astros and Yankees have first-round byes.

The Blue Jays last went to the playoffs in 2020, when they were knocked out with two straight losses to Tampa Bay.

Eight of the 12 berths in the expanded postseason have been clinched: The Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis earned division titles, and Atlanta and the New York Mets are assured no worse the wild cards while still competing to win the NL East. The Dodgers have a first-round bye.