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Alex Bregman hits first homer for Boston since returning from quad injury

CHICAGO (AP) — The Boston Red Sox are taking a deliberate approach with Alex Bregman in his return from a quad strain.

So far, everything is going smoothly.

Bregman played in consecutive games on Friday and Saturday for the first time since he got hurt in May. He was out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Chicago Cubs, but he connected for a big pinch-hit homer in Boston's 6-1 victory.

“We got to be smart,” Bregman said. “I'm back probably a month and a half, maybe a little less, early than we expected. The leg's feeling great. We're checking in every day pre- and postgame and just monitoring it.”

Bregman is a key player for Boston as it fights for a playoff spot in the last part of the season. The All-Star third baseman, who signed a $120 million, three-year deal with the Red Sox in February, is batting .294 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs in 56 games.

He strained his right quad while running the bases on May 23 against Baltimore. Forgoing a rehab stint in the minors, he returned on July 11 against Tampa Bay.

The homer against the Cubs was his first one since the injury.

“The training staff, the strength and conditioning staff here was amazing in helping me get back quickly and get back fully healthy," Bregman said. "I’m going to trust their plan and stick to that.”

Boston managed just one run while losing the first two games of its weekend series at Chicago. It had a 2-1 lead in the finale when Bregman broke it open with a three-run shot off Drew Pomeranz.

It was Bregman's second career pinch-hit homer, also accomplishing the feat on Sept. 8, 2021, against Seattle.

“The kid did what he usually does,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

The 31-year-old Bregman spent most of the game in the batting cage with assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, working on his positioning at the plate.

“After being away for like two months, kind of just standing more vertically and I wasn't starting in the same position,” said Bregman, a two-time World Series champion with Houston. “So tried to get back in that starting position and then swing from behind the ball. Big credit to our hitting staff for noticing that and helping me out.”

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