firing of Alex Cora<\/b> and six coaches<\/a> last Saturday. \u201cAs a group, we have some guys going through it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe Red Sox\u2019 lineup is littered with guys hitting poorly. Jarren Duran<\/b> remained the leadoff man despite a .170 average and .481 OPS, which ranked fifth-worst among qualified hitters. <\/span><\/p>\nTrevor Story<\/b>, batting fifth, came in at .197 and .532.<\/span><\/p>\nCarlos Narv\u00e1ez<\/b> (.234 and .617) has picked it up lately. Caleb Durbin<\/b> (.172 and .542) hasn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m optimistic, because I look and say, \u2018I don\u2019t think five guys are going to OPS .500 on September whatever,\u2019\u201d Tracy said. \u201cAs a group, law of averages says these guys are going to get going because they can hit. So if it was a Roman thing, maybe we\u2019d talk about that. But I think as a group, we\u2019re all trying to collectively get going together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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Get Starting Point<\/span><\/p>\nA guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAs for Anthony: He seemed to be figuring it out, posting a .318\/.516\/.409 slash line in a seven-game stretch last month.<\/span><\/p>\nBut then he tweaked his neck\/back and sat out for four games. In four games since his return, Anthony went 2 for 16 (.125) with seven strikeouts and two walks.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cPlainly put, when Roman\u2019s really, really going well, he\u2019s not swinging out of the zone, he\u2019s driving the ball in the air, and he hits the ball in the air and drives it to the opposite gap, too,\u201d Tracy said. \u201cWhen he\u2019s not going as well, you might see a little bit more ground balls to the right side.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhen he gets on a heater, he can go for a while. So we\u2019re looking for that from a few guys to get going.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nInjured ace Garrett Crochet<\/b> wound up getting an MRI on his left shoulder, Tracy said, and it showed nothing other than inflammation, which was good news for the Sox.<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, he is shut down from throwing for at least a couple of days while he focuses on rebuilding shoulder strength.<\/span><\/p>\nTracy emphasized that the Red Sox are not putting a timeline, publicly, on his return. Crochet said Wednesday that he was confident he would return as soon as he is eligible, which is May 11.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019ll take the next couple days to really attack the shoulder strengthening piece, and then as we get to a point where he feels good enough to start throwing, he will,\u201d Tracy said. \u201cSo no timetable yet. Obviously, he\u2019s a very important piece of our organization, our team, so we\u2019re not going to set a timetable of when this is going to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhen he\u2019s feeling good and ready, that\u2019s when he\u2019ll be back on the mound.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAmong other injury updates: Righthander Sonny Gray <\/b>(right hamstring strain) threw three innings of live batting practice, facing Durbin and Drew Ehrhard<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\nEhrhard, who had been with Double-A Portland, retired as a player this week to join the major league staff. His official title: interim bullpen catcher.<\/span><\/p>\nGray said it was \u201cfun\u201d to get off the mound and added that he would be comfortable if his next outing was in a major league game. That would mean skipping a minor league rehab assignment. Tracy said the Sox haven\u2019t decided Gray\u2019s next step.<\/span><\/p>\nJustin Slaten<\/b> (right oblique strain) said he will make a rehab appearance with Portland on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Red Sox officially added Nelson Paulino<\/b> as an interim hitting coach. He had been the hitting coach for Low-A Salem in his 29th year with the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cPepe has been around this organization for a really long time,\u201d Tracy said.<\/span><\/p>\nBrayan Bello <\/b>(9.12 ERA) is scheduled to take his next turn in the rotation, Tracy said. That would be Tuesday against the Tigers.<\/span><\/p>\nUntil Gray and Crochet return, the Red Sox don\u2019t have many other options, given the litany of injuries that have torn through their pitching depth chart.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nTim Healey can be reached at timothy.healey@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @timbhealey<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n