WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Boston expects second baseman Dustin Pedroia to make his exhibition debut on Thursday against Minnesota.

Coming off knee surgery, the 35-year-old Pedroia crossed his last major pre-competition hurdle on Tuesday when he completed a workout at the Red Sox complex in Fort Myers.

“The way the texts sounded, he’s ready to play now,” Cora said after receiving an update from Pedroia.

A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia had left knee surgery on Oct. 25, 2017. He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket from May 14-24 and three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season.

Boston has not expressed firm expectations.

“Right now I think it’s more hope,” Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “So far he’s been very healthy under his situation coming back. He’s passed all the tests from the medical team and from himself.”

Pedrioa played in more than 105 games only once in the past four seasons because of injuries.

Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt have been the primary second basemen in Pedroia’s absence.

• Tzu-Wei Lin’s leadoff homer sparked a seven-run fourth inning, and the Red Sox roughed up Nationals ace Max Scherzer in an 8-4 spring training win Tuesday.

Lin was 2 for 3 with three RBI.

Scherzer allowed five runs on four hits in 31/3 innings.

YANKEES: Right-hander Luis Severino will miss opening day because of an inflamed right shoulder that caused him to be scratched from his first scheduled spring training start on Tuesday.

Severino won’t throw for two weeks, Manager Aaron Boone said after a 5-1 win over Atlanta.

Severino, a 25-year-old right-hander, was set to face the Braves but was replaced by Stephan Tarpley after feeling discomfort after throwing his first slider during his pregame bullpen session.

METS: Jessica Mendoza was hired as a baseball operations adviser while remaining a broadcaster for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” part of an increasing number of television commentators who also work for teams.

Mendoza will be involved in player evaluation, roster construction, technological advancement and health and performance, the Mets said.

Mendoza, a member of the U.S. Olympic softball team in 2004 and 2008, did not address any potential conflict of interest – working for a team while simultaneously commentating on all clubs.

In the team statement, Mendoza thanked ESPN and Disney for their “understanding and confidence as I balance both tasks moving forward.”

LABOR: Major League Baseball and the players’ union are near an agreement to expand active rosters by one to 26 starting in 2020 as part of a deal that would include a commitment to discuss larger economic issues after opening day this year.

As part of the deal, the active limit from Sept. 1 to the end of the season would be lowered from 40 to 28 beginning next year, people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

A limitation on September call-ups would end parades of relief pitchers that cause games to stretch on. There would be a maximum of 13 pitchers for most of the season and 14 from Sept. 1 on, the people said. The minimum roster size would increase from 24 to 25.

The new 26-player limit also would apply to the postseason.

BLUE JAYS: Pitcher Clay Buchholz finalized a $3 million, one-year contract and is expected to join the starting rotation.

The 34-year-old right-hander can earn $2.25 million in performance bonuses for innings and $500,000 for relief appearances.

TWINS: Third baseman Miguel Sano likely will miss the first month of the season following another procedure to repair a severe cut above the heel on his right foot.

ROYALS: Catcher Salvador Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow, keeping the six-time All-Star off the field for the entire 2019 season.

The decision was made after Perez received a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ team physician. Perez hurt the elbow during a workout last week.

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