Pawtucket Red Sox update: Jackie Bradley Jr., Rubby De La Rosa, Bryce Brentz

Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

Jackie Bradley Jr. had a slight detour that brought him back to Boston, but has still managed to accomplish quite a bit since the last time we checked in on the future Red Sox center fielder. He's shown some pretty solid power this season, hitting a combined nine homers between Triple-A and the bigs, and his stats at the minors' highest level are certainly encouraging for 2014, when it's believed that Bradley will be needed on the Sox for more than just the occasional injury substitution.

His strikeout rate of 18 isn't too high, and his walk rate is a quality one, and not so high that you worry that maybe he's a little passive with his approach. While he wasn't lighting the world on fire in either of his last two trips to the majors, he was much better than in his initial trial both in look and results.

*****

Rubby De La Rosa, RHP

De La Rosa was on a ridiculous stretch that spanned two months and change after finally settling down in April, but things came a little undone in July. He allowed six runs while recording just one out in his second start of the month, and has an ERA of 11.88 in July. Since he was so, so good before, however, his ERA over his last 10 starts is still just 3.14 -- like I said, he was on a ridiculous run.

He wasn't quite back to dominant in his follow-up after that horrid appearance, but three runs over five innings with five strikeouts isn't a bad way to get back on the right side of things, at least. As Allen Webster pitched in a way that more than implies he's not quite big-league ready, it might be De La Rosa getting the call the next time Boston is in need, assuming they don't find help from outside the organization first, or just stick with what worked once in Brandon Workman.

*****

Bryce Brentz, RF

Brentz hasn't played since July 5 thanks to a right knee sprain that put him on the disabled list. The timing was terrible for a few reasons: Brentz needs all the playing time he can get to show the Red Sox what he's capable of before a decision has to be made about his 40-man roster status, and, by sitting on the DL, it's that much less likely he can be used as a trade piece before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

It's not that the Sox should want to get rid of Brentz, but if they want to keep their high-end prospects, someone like Brentz would likely have to be shipped out. The injury isn't supposed to serious to the point of scaring anyone away, but if it dings his value even a little, that could change a potential trade negotiation.

Read more Red Sox:

• Red Sox trade rumors: Sox could be "major threat" in Matt Garza sweepstakes


• Five Red Sox prospects in Fangraphs mid-season top-50


• Red Sox position prospects, in word cloud form


• Now is not the time for Xander Bogaerts


• Andrew Bailey needs to be the closer for the Red Sox