Red Sox vs Guardians

Neck spasms sent Coulombe to the injured list toward the beginning of the month, and the Red Sox will now look to get the 36-year-old southpaw a tune-up outing in the minors before adding him back to their bullpen. He'll be eligible to return from the IL on Sunday, so there's a good chance that Friday's rehab appearance will be the only one he makes.

Crochet pitched off a mound for the first time since hitting the injured list last month with shoulder inflammation. Next up for the left-hander is an expected two-inning bullpen session this weekend in Atlanta. If Crochet feels good coming out of that longer session, then he could face hitters by the middle of next week, putting him on schedule for a potential return during the last week of May. The Red Sox could follow a similar path as the one laid out for Sonny Gray and let Crochet return to the rotation without a rehab assignment.

Oviedo has been shut down over the past month after being diagnosed with a right flexor strain in early April. The Red Sox will determine the next steps for Oviedo's rehab based on what comes out of the upcoming exam with Dr. Meister.

Friday marks the first time that Anthony has taken off his brace and done any sort of activity since he landed on the injured list last week with a sprained right wrist, and he said afterward that he feels like he's "in a good spot." The Red Sox have yet to provide a return timeline for the young outfielder, though that may come whenever he is cleared to begin a hitting progression.

Story was placed on the 10-day IL on Saturday due to the issue, which he's reportedly been dealing with for much of the season. The expected length of his absence should become clearer once it's determined whether or not he'll need to go under the knife. Story said Saturday that he'll likely be out 6-to-10 weeks if surgery is indeed required.

It's the third straight game on the bench for Wong after starting the previous three contests. The 29-year-old's .885 OPS in 27 plate appearances this year is far superior to Carlos Narvaez's .542 mark, though Narvaez now appears to have the upper hand for playing time after a strong couple games at the plate.

A bruised foot caused Burdi to land on the injured list June 3, but a hip injury suffered at Worcester caused him to move to the 60-day IL. He'll now come off the IL following a minimum-length stay, though the Red Sox will keep him in the minors for the time being. The 32-year-old has thrown 5.1 shutout innings for Boston this season and sports a 1.23 ERA through 22 Triple-A frames.

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Armstrong began a rehab assignment with the RubberDucks on Tuesday. He threw 19 pitches (11 strikes) and will likely need another outing or two before rejoining Cleveland's bullpen. He hasn't pitched since April 21 and can be activated at any time.