Chris Martin returns, Wilyer Abreu begins rehab

Boston’s Wilyer Abreu scores on a sacrifice fly by Rafael Devers in the fourth inning of a game on May 26 at Fenway Park. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

The Red Sox added more reinforcements on Tuesday night, with right-hander Chris Martin returning from the 15-day injured list after taking time off due to anxiety. Now the club could be days away from getting another key player back.

Outfielder Wilyer Abreu began what will likely be a brief rehab assignment with the Worcester Red Sox on Tuesday, going 0 for 4 with a walk in his first game back. Abreu will likely play two games with the WooSox and if all goes well, he could join the major league club in Cincinnati this weekend when they open their upcoming series against the Reds.

Shortstop David Hamilton, who was struggling with side pain and was not allowed to play in Monday’s game, is also feeling much better and should return to the lineup soon, manager Alex Cora told reporters in Toronto on Tuesday.

However, the club received bad news regarding young players, as right-hander Luis Perales recently underwent an MRI that confirmed that the Red Sox’s top pitcher has a UCL injury. He is expected to miss the rest of the season and will need to undergo elbow surgery in the near future, either an internal splint or full Tommy John surgery.

To accommodate Martin’s return to the bullpen, the Red Sox made the surprise decision to send No. 5 starter Cooper Criswell to Triple-A. Criswell was effective at the bottom of the rotation, posting a 4.15 ERA in 12 games (11 starts), but Cora told reporters the move was due to roster flexibility.

Criswell still has minor league options, and with a light stretch that includes three days off in 12 days starting Thursday, the Red Sox can essentially get by with a four-man rotation for the entire 15-day stretch, requiring Criswell to stay in the minor leagues (or less if someone gets injured in the meantime). The only day over the next two weeks Boston needs a fifth starter is Sunday at Cincinnati, but the Red Sox have Chase Anderson and Brad Keller on the roster, both bulk relievers with starting experience, and Josh Winckowski is overloaded in Triple-A and could be called up as a spot starter in an emergency.