Wong (hamstring) is scheduled to catch seven innings in a minor-league game Saturday.
Wong has been getting at-bats as a rover in several minor-league games all week. Saturday's activity will be his return to the catching. He remains a possibility to make the Opening Day roster, but Wong would need to win out over non-roster invitee Jorge Alfaro to break camp as the backup catcher to Reese McGuire.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Will return to action Thursday
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wong (hamstring) will be a "full go" for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Wong has missed most of March with a left hamstring strain but appears to have put the injury behind him. He is competing with Jorge Alfaro for the backup catcher job behind Reese McGuire.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Might be ready for Opening Day
Rotowire
Wong (hamstring) has a chance to be part of the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, manager Alex Cora told Ian Browne of MLB.com.
Wong has been out nearly all month with a left hamstring strain, but his last step before returning to games is running the bases and he'll do that Tuesday. With Jorge Alfaro appearing likely to make the club along with Reese McGuire, it's possible the Red Sox will carry three catchers.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Could play next week
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Wong (hamstring) could return to the Grapefruit League lineup next week, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Wong looks to be nearly recovered from the left hamstring strain he suffered March 2, as he's been able to do some catching in addition to taking part in batting practice in recent days. The 26-year-old may have to prove that the hamstring injury isn't hindering him on the basepaths before he's formally cleared for game action, but for the time being, he looks as though he'll avoid a stint on the injured list to open the season. However, because of the extensive time he missed during camp, Wong may be on the outside looking in for a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster and could be optioned to Triple-A Worcester to begin the campaign.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Catches side session
Rotowire
Wong (hamstring) caught Corey Kluber's bullpen session Monday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
The Red Sox haven't indicated when Wong will be ready to return to the team's Grapefruit League lineup, but the fact that he's now taken batting practice and resumed catching suggests that he may be nearly recovered from the Grade 1 left hamstring strain he sustained March 2. Once cleared to play in games, Wong will likely require only a handful of at-bats to get himself ready for Opening Day, so he still has a chance at breaking camp as Boston's No. 2 catcher.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Resumes hitting
Rotowire
Wong (hamstring) was cleared to resume hitting Wednesday, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.
Wong is dealing with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, but the backstop has been able to participate in agility drills and now is able to swing the bat as he looks to make his way back. The backstop has a chance to be ready for Opening Day, but that's far from a foregone conclusion at this point.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Goes through drills
Rotowire
Wong (hamstring) was able to go through some agility drills Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Wong has also been doing some running in the pool. While he might be a tad ahead of schedule in his recovery from a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, Wong's availability for Opening Day remains very much up in the air.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Has Grade 1 hamstring strain
Rotowire
Wong has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.
It's the least severe strain he could have suffered, which is obviously good news. There's no timetable for Wong's return, however, and at this point on the calendar there would seem to be a pretty good chance he'll need an injured list stint. Non-roster invitee Jorge Alfaro seems like a lock for the roster now, if he wasn't already.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Suffers hamstring injury
Rotowire
Wong had to exit Thursday's Grapefruit League game versus the Phillies with a left hamstring injury, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game of Wong's injury that "it doesn't look great right now but hopefully we get better news tomorrow morning." It sounds like this could lead to an injured list stint to begin the season for Wong, which would officially open the door for non-roster invitee Jorge Alfaro to make the team as Reese McGuire's backup.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Hits bench in finale
Rotowire
Wong is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
After starting three of Boston's last four games, Wong will take a seat as the Red Sox wrap up their season Wednesday. The 26-year-old produced a .572 OPS in 55 plate appearances in the big leagues in 2022 and could get the chance to compete for a No. 2 role at catcher next spring.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Losing work to McGuire
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Wong is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Wong will take a seat for the third time in four games and may be the Red Sox's No. 2 catcher behind Reese McGuire at this point. Upon joining Boston as a Sept. 1 call-up from Triple-A Worcester, Wong went 3-for-12 with two extra-base hits and three walks in his first six games with Boston, but he's since slashed .200/.200/.267 with a 62.5 percent strikeout rate over his subsequent 10 contests.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Still on bench
Rotowire
Wong isn't starting Saturday against the Yankees, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Wong has split playing time behind the dish recently and will head to the bench for a second consecutive matchup. Reese McGuire is starting at catcher and batting eighth.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Sitting Friday
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Wong will sit Friday versus the Yankees, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Wong will take a seat after he went 1-for-2 with a strikeout in Thursday's series opener. Reese McGuire will replace him behind the plate and bat eighth against New York.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Heads to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Wong is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Wong should have a clearer path to the Red Sox's No. 1 catcher role after the team recently dropped Kevin Plawecki from the 40-man roster, but Wong will give way to Reese McGuire behind the plate for the series finale in Cincinnati. Since receiving a call-up from Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 1, Wong has hit .217 with a home run, five runs and four RBI in 12 games.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Takes seat Friday
Rotowire
Wong isn't starting Friday against the Royals, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Wong saw a slight uptick in playing time in early September, but he'll be out of the lineup for the third time in the last five games. Kevin Plawecki is starting behind the plate and batting ninth.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Emerging as primary backstop
Rotowire
Wong will start at catcher and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Wong will start for the third time in four games and appears to have temporarily emerged as the top option in Boston's three-headed timeshare at catcher that also includes Reese McGuire and Kevin Plawecki. Since getting a call-up to Boston on Sept. 1, Wong has gone 3-for-12 with a home run, a double and three walks in six contests.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Mashes first MLB homer
Rotowire
Wong went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 9-1 win over the Rangers.
Wong, who was in the starting lineup after being called up when rosters expanded, crushed a 439-foot homer off Texas left-hander A.J. Alexy. He was red hot at Triple-A Worcester prior to joining the Red Sox, having hit .368/.411/.838 with nine home runs and 22 RBI over 16 games in August. Boston manager Alex Cora told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com that he'll find ways to get Wong at-bats while he's swinging the bat well, noting he can also play the infield. At 5-foot-11, 181 pounds, Wong doesn't look the part of a power hitter, but he has what baseball people like to describe as sneaky pop. He has an opportunity over the final month of the season. Boston's catching position for 2023 is in flux with Christian Vazquez traded and Kevin Plawecki due to be a free agent. Wong and Reese McGuire could make up the catching tandem next season.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Receives promotion Thursday
Rotowire
The Red Sox recalled Wong from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday.
Wong becomes the Red Sox's third catcher on the 28-man active roster, joining Reese McGuire and Kevin Plawecki. With neither of the other two backstops having established himself as Boston's clear No. 1 catcher, it wouldn't be surprising if Wong received an extended look at some point while the team remains out of contention for a playoff spot. Wong produced an .832 OPS over his 355 plate appearances at Worcester.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Friday.
With Kevin Plawecki back from the COVID-19 injured list, Boston no longer needed Wong as insurance behind the plate. He has accrued only nine plate appearances in Boston this season, collecting two hits. Yolmer Sanchez was recalled to take Wong's spot on the roster.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Heading back to minors
Rotowire
Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
The 26-year-old was up in the majors the past few days but will quickly return to the minors with Kevin Plawecki back from the COVID-19 injured list. Wong is 1-for-7 with an RBI and two strikeouts in his eight big-league games this year.
