Lucas Giolito Injury: Close to rehab assignment

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Giolito (hamstring) threw a bullpen session Friday and could begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester in the coming week, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Giolito opened the season on the 15-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain that he sustained in mid-March. He wasn't shut down from throwing, and it appears he's progressed enough in his program to be closing in on a rehab assignment. There's optimism that the 30-year-old right-hander will be able to return to the Red Sox's rotation in mid-April.