Rehab assignment a ‘possibility’ for D-backs Stephen Drew this weekend

The Diamondbacks plan to send injured shortstop Stephen
Drew on a minor league rehab assignment this weekend.

“That’s a possibility,” said Drew of heading to Triple-A
Reno for games starting Sunday.

Drew, however, wouldn’t fully commit to any future travel.

He wants to wait and see how his ankle responds after
playing 9 innings for the second time in three days in
extended spring training at Salt River Fields.

“The first 9 (innings) was okay and today was okay again,”
he said Thursday. [The soreness] is definitely still
there. It’s something I’ve got to work through and work
out.

“It’s not that I don’t want to go to Reno,” he explained
after going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. “On
Tuesday [I played and] I wake up Wednesday [the ankle] is
definitely sore. That’s something I’m working through.”

After a first inning single to rightfield, Drew was forced
out at second on a ground ball. On the play, he slid into
the bag — leading with his left leg. “I had a chance to
slide today but [Tuesday] I didn’t.”

Drew was flawless in four fielding chances at shortstop,
including ranging towards his right to grab a ground ball
before throwing off one foot to record the out at first
base.

“[We’ll] try to figure out what’s the next step that I can
do,” he said, “and talk it over with (the team) before the
weekend.”

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