Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman leaves game with right quad tightness

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman was removed in the fifth inning of Friday’s doubleheader opener against the Baltimore Orioles because of right quadriceps tightness and hopes he doesn't go on the injured list.

“I felt my quad grab so I didn’t continue running to second base," Bregman said after Boston's 19-5 win. “I stopped and came back to the bag so I wouldn’t make it any worse.”

A two-time World Series winner who spent the first nine seasons of his big league career with the Houston, Bregman signed a $120 million, three-year contract with Boston in February and is hitting .299 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

“I knew I needed to come out and see the trainer,” Bregman said. “We’ll know a lot more tomorrow after sleeping and seeing how it presents in the morning. All of my strength is still there, which is good.”

In 2021, Bregman was sidelined between June 16 and Aug. 21 with a left quadriceps strain.

“I’m actually positive based off what I originally thought,” Bregman said.

Nick Sogard started at second in the doubleheader nightcap. Manger Alex Cora also mentioned Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro as third base candidates but did not include Rafael Devers as a possible option. Devers was moved off third base – his primary position during the first eight seasons of his big league career – after Boston signed Bregman.

Red Sox management approached Devers about playing first base after Triston Casas injured the patellar tendon in his left knee on May 2 but Devers told the club that he wasn’t interested in changing positions for the second time since the start of spring training.

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