Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia began his rehab assignment Monday in Pawtucket, starting at second base and batting third against Buffalo.
Pedroia went 1 for 3 on the night, singling and scoring a run.
"I'm pretty happy about it. First game in a long time, everything went great," he told the Boston Globe. "I felt good up there. I hit three balls on the barrel. I felt good about that. Obviously I've got to get some more at-bats to lock in, but everything went great."
Pedroia will play Tuesday night in Pawtucket, then take a couple of days off, he said.
Pedroia hasn't played in the majors yet this season after undergoing a cartilage restoration procedure on his left knee in October.
Also Monday, the Red Sox activated right-hander Steven Wright from his 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy and placed right-hander Hector Velazquez on the 10-day disabled list with a lower back strain.
Pedroia, a four-time All-Star and 2008 American League MVP, dealt with the knee injury all last season, even after having arthroscopic surgery before the season to repair a torn meniscus. He took two turns on the disabled list and played in only one game from July 28 through Sept. 1. Pedroia batted .293 in 2017 but started only 97 games at second base.
Wright's suspension stemmed from a Dec. 8 incident involving Wright and his wife, Shannon. He was arrested at their Tennessee home on misdemeanor charges of domestic assault and preventing a 911 call. He was released the following day on a $2,500 bond, and his case was later retired by the Williamson County Courthouse and will be dropped if additional offenses don't occur within the next year.
Wright and his wife have been undergoing counseling.
Wright hasn't pitched in the majors in 2018 after starting the season on the 10-day disabled list as he recovered from surgery on his left knee. He made four appearances for the PawSox before being activated and then serving his suspension.
Velazquez is 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 10 appearances this season, including two starts.