Hernandez (hip) will take batting practice Friday but isn't close to returning to game action, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
Hernandez resumed swinging a bat in late July and has been progressing well in his recovery after he received a platelet-rich plasma injection shortly before the All-Star break. However, the 30-year-old will still require some time before he's cleared to begin a rehab assignment. Manager Alex Cora said last weekend that he hopes Hernandez will be able to return sometime in August, but a better timetable for his return is unlikely to be revealed until he at least faces live pitching.