PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Making his sixth rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket, Red Sox first baseman went 0-for-3 but reached base twice for the Paw Sox on Monday night, getting hit by a pitch in the fifth and walking with the bases loaded in the seventh.
The 2018 World Series MVP was first put on the IL on June 1 after exiting a game against the New York Yankees with a back injury, and spent three games with Single-A Lowell before beginning his rehab stint in Pawtucket. The six-game stretch hasn’t been wildly successful, as Pearce is hitting.143 with an OPS of just .423 in the minors.
"Well, I'm not where I want to be,” Pearce said. “I'm feeling better, I've just got to turn it into results sometime."
Pearce went down swinging in his first plate appearance, just late on a high fastball from Blue Jays prospect Thomas Pannone.
After popping out with the bases loaded in his second trip, Pearce took a curveball off the shin to reach base in the fifth, and after working the count full with the bases loaded in the seventh, he picked up his first Pawtucket RBI after taking ball four.
In his last at-bat Pearce was punched out on a very questionable check swing call, as he appeared to hold up while the first base umpire disagreed.
It’s been a fairly frustrating few days for Pearce, who has had his moments and feels good physically, but the results haven’t come.
"You know, I've got to start hitting my way out of here at some point,” Pearce said. “I'm ready to play, my body feels good, I'm just trying to get timing down.
"You definitely like to string together some good at-bats, have some good results, but I'm feeling good. But you've got to get results to make that next step."
The veteran first baseman was the designated hitter again on Monday, after taking reps at first game in two of three previous games.
As for when he’ll return to the big leagues?
"I don't know,” Pearce said. “I don't know."
Hernandez shelled in second Triple-A outing
Darwinzon Hernandez really struggled in his second start for the Paw Sox, lasting just three innings while giving up five earned runs on four hits — including two homers — and four walks against the Buffalo Bisons.
Hernandez’s fastball touched 97 on Monday night but he couldn’t find the plate with it, throwing 45 of his 81 pitches for strikes but issuing free passes to nearly a third of the batters he faced.
One of the top pitching prospects in the Red Sox system, the lefty has seriously struggled with his control this season, walking 44 batters in 48.1 innings between Double-A