Ellsbury continues successful rehab with PawSox

by Joseph Kuykendall

As the All-Star Break approaches, Jacoby Ellsbury is nearing the end of his rehab assignments likely meaning he will rejoin the parent club post All-Star break.

Ellsbury takes a hack at McCoy Stadium
Saturday Night for the PawSox in a rehab
start.
(Courtesy of Ken Jancef/MiLB)

After minor stints for both the Gulf Coast League Red Sox (Rookie-Affiliate) and Portland Sea Dogs (AA-Affiliate), Ellsbury finally made the jump to AAA by joining the Pawtucket Red Sox Saturday night for their divisional clash with the Syracuse Chiefs.

WATCH: Jacoby Ellsbury's video highlights from Saturday night

In the leadoff spot and playing centerfield, Ellsbury went a quiet 0-for-4 with two groundouts, a strikeout, and a foul out. He had an opportunity to really do some damage for the PawSox in the seventh inning when he came up with the bases loaded and none out. On the payoff pitch in the bases loaded at-bat, Ellsbury popped the ball up in foul territory giving Chiefs third baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir enough room to catch the ball.

Ellsbury milling around the PawSox dugout
Saturday night.
(Courtesy of Ken Jancef/MiLB)

Despite limited success in his rehab games (hitting just .174 in 23 at-bats in 7 games), Ellsbury understands the importance of these games if he wants to get back with the Red Sox, “It’s one thing to take a BP/hit off the tee but you need to get back in the game and just play the game. That’s the biggest thing that’s going to get you game ready for the big league club,” said Ellsbury after the PawSox game on Saturday, “It’s nice that you can get out there and just get repetition. That’s the biggest thing—just that you get some reps in.”

WATCH: Jacoby Ellsbury's Full Post-Game Interview

Unlike Carl Crawford, Ellsbury has had no setbacks in his rehab so far and shown no noticeable pain or repercussions from the shoulder injury. He is happy with the progress he has made so far and what he said after his game with the PawSox is something that is very reassuring for Red Sox nation, “Everything’s come along nice. Definitely the last couple days have been a step in the right direction.”

Special thanks to Ken Jancef for the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjancef/

Kuykendall can be followed on Twitter @JoeKBSU18 and contacted at JKuykendall@BostonSportsU18.com