Tyler Thornburg, Boston Red Sox RHP, ramps up intensity; Pablo Sandoval hasn't begun baseball activities

BY CHRISTOPHER SMITH

BOSTON -- Red Sox reliever Tyler Thornburg (right shoulder impingement) said earlier this week that he's still feeling some discomfort but "it's not pain-oriented." It's more the discomfort felt from trying to build arm strength. 

The Red Sox acquired Thornburg during the offseason from the Brewers to be their setup man.

He initiated a throwing program 17 days ago (April 12) but he has yet to throw off a mound. He has thrown long toss at 120 feet. He needs to throw long toss at 150 feet before he throws his first bullpen session. 

He has started to ramp up the intensity at 120 feet though. 

"The intensity in which he has thrown out to 120 feet has picked up quite a bit in the last couple of days," Red Sox manager John Farrell said here at Fenway Park on Saturday. "So while this has been lengthy, there's movement forward at this point."

Farrell admitted the rehab has taken longer than expected.

"Yes, because when you're talking about more of a strength issue or a strength deficiency issue, you'd think that would be addressed maybe a little bit quicker. But still, every case is different. And I know that there's been some adjustments here recently in the sequence of the warmup, the sequence of the work. And he's responded favorably to that. So we still want to get him to 150 feet of long toss or more before we get him on the mound. But that day is getting closer."

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