BOSTON -- In a Saturday afternoon injury update, Red Sox manager Alex Cora had good news on Brian Johnson and Steve Pearce, but not on knuckleballer Steven Wright.

Johnson, who was shut down with a non-baseball medical issue at the end of June, had a strong performance for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday night, allowing one hit and striking out six over three scoreless innings.

The lefty swingman is a candidate to start one of the two games in next Saturday¡¯s day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.

¡°It was actually really good yesterday,¡± said Cora. ¡°Good command of the fastball. Mixed up his pitches. But the fastball command was good. We¡¯ve been saying it wasn¡¯t arm related, so he¡¯s in a good spot physically.¡±

Pearce, the World Series MVP from last year, hasn¡¯t played for the Red Sox since May 31 due to a lower back strain and then a subsequent left knee injury he sustained during a Minor League rehab assignment.

The right-handed-hitting veteran at last seems to be making progress in his rehab at the team¡¯s Spring Training base in Fort Myers, Fla.

¡°Talked to him yesterday,¡± Cora said. ¡°Swinging the bat well, moving around defensively good. Running has been an issue. Hasn¡¯t been able to get to the next step as far as his progression. That¡¯s what¡¯s holding him back. As far as the other stuff, he¡¯s doing better.¡±

Wright had also been in Fort Myers attempting to come back from a deep bone bruise in his left foot. The fact he returned to Fenway Park on Saturday was not necessarily a good sign.

¡°Just getting checked out [by the medical staff],¡± said Cora. ¡°Hasn¡¯t done too much the last few days. Just doesn¡¯t feel right. Kind of shut him down for a little bit, see if he can get back at it.¡±

After returning from his 80-game suspension on June 25, Wright pitched in six games for the Red Sox, posting an 8.53 ERA. He was belted on the right foot on a hard grounder by Max Muncy on July 13, and X-rays were negative. But his condition hasn¡¯t improved since then.

Cashner: ¡®Everyone grows up hating the Yankees¡¯

When Andrew Cashner first met with the media after his trade from the Orioles to Boston, he mentioned the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry as one of the aspects he was most looking forward to in his new baseball home.

After Cashner earned his first win as a member of the Red Sox on Friday night against the Yankees, he mentioned they are one of his favorite teams to compete against. Why is that?

¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cashner said. ¡°Everybody grows up hating the Yankees, right?¡±

Cashner enjoyed the atmosphere of his first Red Sox-Yankees start, which included him getting a loud ovation when he was removed from the game during the seventh inning.

¡°As you¡¯re walking off, you can kind of feel it. It¡¯s a cool feeling,¡± Cashner said.

Cora says Hembree is healthy

From Opening Day through June 10, Heath Hembree posted a 2.51 ERA in 31 games and was one of Cora¡¯s most trusted relievers. Hembree then went on the injured list from June 14-July 4 with a right elbow extensor strain. Since his return, he has an ERA of 9.00 ERA in nine appearances entering Saturday. Friday was the second time in those nine outings he didn¡¯t record an out.

Given that, it¡¯s fair to wonder if Hembree is still experiencing arm issues. But Cora says that he isn¡¯t.

"I mean, the breaking ball wasn't good [Friday]. The fastball command wasn't great,¡± Cora said. ¡°As everybody knows, Heater is a guy that lives upstairs with the fastball regardless of the velocity, and everything was down in the zone.¡±