Boston first baseman Wilson Contreras remains out with a right-hand injury and is uncertain for Tuesday's AL Wild Card opener against the Yankees. He said Thursday his hand was slowly improving but he had not swung a bat in two days, a week after being hit on a knuckle.
Contreras is batting .276 with 27 homers, 81 RBIs and a .905 OPS. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said his hand was showing subtle improvement but remained sore. The team is trying to get him into the final regular-season game and hopes to have him back for the postseason.
Because of an expected nor'easter, MLB shifted Boston's weekend series against the Cubs. The teams will play a split doubleheader Friday at 1:05 and 6:05, then meet Saturday at 7:15; no Sunday game is scheduled.
