Willson Contreras (hamstring) close to returning

Contreras is eligible to come off the injured list on Thursday, and this would seem to be a good indication that the Red Sox may activate him this weekend. Contreras was playing through a hamstring issue for the better part of a month and was placed on the injured list on August 31st to finally give his leg the time to heal. He will likely not require any rehab appearances, but that remains undecided at this point.

According to the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, Contreras has been dealing with a hamstring issue for about a month. Between that and getting hit in the head against the Dodgers on August 1st, Contreras has slashed 217/.330/.386 since then. Perhaps a two-week reset will help the first baseman recapture some of his previous form before the end of the season.

It’s worth noting that Contreras was removed in a game that the Red Sox lost by 15 runs, but obviously it’s still concerning. The 34-year-old will likely test the hamstring before having a chance to return Monday in a three-game series against the Mariners.

Contreras has managed to play through an avalanche of physical issues without missing too much time during his Red Sox debut. It appears to be a routine day off with Nick Sogard getting a chance to handle the cold corner. He should be ready to roll for Friday’s pivotal series opener against the Yankees.

Contreras victimized Giants’ ace Logan Webb for the titanic shot over the Green Monster in the third inning, giving the Red Sox a 3-1 lead they would never relinquish. He also worked a pair of walks in the contest, finishing the night 1-for-2. On the season, the 34-year-old slugger is now slashing .285/.396/.541 to go along with 26 long balls and 78 RBI.

Contreras’s home run was his 25th of the season. He hit a solo shot off Zack Littell in the fifth inning. Contreras has now hit two home runs in his last five games. He’s hitting .281 with a .924 OPS and 73 RBI this year.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine day off for the 34-year-old slugger. Nick Sogard will man first base in his absence while Anthony Seigler starts at second base and will bat eighth against Pirates’ right-hander Luke Bachar.

Contreras’ home run was his 24th of the season. He hit a solo shot off Jose Soriano in the fifth inning. Contreras hadn’t hit a home run since June 30 against the Athletics, a span of almost two weeks. While he remains in the lineup, it’s been reported that he continues to deal with a lingering hamstring injury. Contreras is hitting .280 with a .919 OPS and 71 RBI.

It’s notable that Contreras remains in Boston’s lineup since he’s been battling a lingering hamstring issue, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. The ongoing issue, in addition to a laundry list of other recent physical ailments, seem to be impacting his on-field results as he’s hitting .167 (4-for-24) with zero extra-base hits in seven games since the start of August. He’s been the lynchpin for Boston’s offense during their remarkable turnaround, but he’s clearly struggling and could probably use a break. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status heading into Thursday’s series finale in Toronto.

Multiple Red Sox beat writers have pointed out that Contreras was “grabbing his sore hamstring” during Tuesday’s game. We also know that Contreras was recently sick and was hit in the head by a fastball a few games ago. Considering he’s hitting just 4-for-24 in August, maybe a day off or two would be beneficial.