Castillo (oblique) will play in minor league games Wednesday and Thursday, Andrew Simon of MLB.com reports.

Castillo deemed himself 100 percent after facing live pitching in batting practice Monday, while manager John Farrell said "he's passed every baseball physical test that we've put in front of him to date." However, the team isn't quite ready to return Castillo to major league games, and will instead have him log at-bats and play the field on the minor league side for a couple days. The clock is ticking for Castillo to earn a regular role for the start of the season.

Castillo took batting practice for the first time since suffering a left oblique strain, WEEI.com reports. Castillo said he was "at 100 percent."

Red Sox manager John Farrell thinks Castillo will be game-ready by Wednesday, but would not project the outfielder being ready for Opening Day.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said that Castillo (oblique) is will be "game ready" by Wednesday, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports.

If that timetable holds up, Castillo will have just over two weeks of spring games to play in before Opening Day. As the start of the season approaches, perhaps a trade or two will provide clarity regarding the Red Sox's crowded outfield situation.

Castillo (oblique) took full swings in the batting cage Sunday, the Boston Globe reports.

The Red Sox haven't determined when Castillo will face live pitching, but it should come early this week. That would be the last step before he gets back into games.

Castillo (oblique) is on track to take batting practice early next week, the Boston Globe reports.

Taking swings against live pitching is the last hurdle for Castillo before gets into a game.

Red Sox manager John Farrell is not yet ready to concede that Castillo (oblique) will need to open the season on the disabled list, WEEI.com reports.

Farrell said he normally likes to get players between 55 and 65 at-bats during the spring, but is also cognizant that this is his first spring with Castillo and all players are different. Also, when Castillo is ready to play in games will factor into a DL decision. There's hopeful signs -- Castillo is swinging off a tee and playing soft toss -- but until he can back on the field, Farrell will be non-committal regarding his regular-season status.

Castillo (oblique) took 25 swings off a tee and 15 off short tosses, the Boston Globe reports.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said there's still no timetable for when Castillo would appear in a game. He last played Mar. 3.

Castillo (oblique) took some swings off a tee Tuesday, the Boston Globe reports.

Progress has been steady according to manager John Farrell, but there's still not timetable for when Castillo will be ready to play in a game.

Castillo (oblique) will take dry swings Monday, the Providence Journal's Brian MacPherson reports.

There is no timetable for his return to Grapefruit League games, but he continues to progress and says he is feeling better in his recovery.

Castillo (oblique) has increased his workouts, throwing from 90 feet over the weekend while continuing his rotational work in the pool, the Boston Globe reports.

Castillo has responded well to the left oblique injury he suffered last Tuesday. The original time-table was at least a week, but it's looking like it will be more than the minimum.

Castillo (oblique) did some pool work and worked out on an elliptical Friday, WEEI.com reports.

Manager John Farrell said Castillo is starting to gain some rotational movement and is hopeful he might do some light throwing.

Castillo (oblique) showed up "much improved" and "better than anticipated" Thursday, according to manager John Farrell, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports.

This is nice to hear, after Farrell suggested Wednesday that Castillo would be down "for some time" with an oblique strain. When asked to clarify, Farrell simply said Castillo would likely be out "more than a week." While this news doesn't necessarily move up his timetable for a return to the field, it does seem as though Castillo is already responding to treatment. Castillo will compete with Mookie Betts for the starting job in center field this spring.

Castillo's (oblique) Opening Day status could be in jeopardy, Sean McAdam of CSN New England reports. "We don't have a time frame to give you or projected length (of recovery)," said manager John Farrell, "but he's going through some treatment to try to calm down the strain right now and there there will be rotational exercises and rehab when he's ready for that."

Castillo has been ruled out for at least a week, but it sounds as though his absence will likely extend beyond that and could stretch into the regular season. Farrell indicated that it's "too early to tell that right now," in regards to his Opening Day status. While it may not affect him long-term, it could change the complexion of the starting outfield for the Red Sox, making Mookie Betts the favorite for the center field job to begin the season.

Castillo will miss at least a week with a strained left oblique, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports.

Castillo is battling Mookie Betts for playing time in center field, but being sidelined for a week won't help his chances in that department. At the earliest, Castillo would be slated to come back at the beginning of next week, but it sounds as though the injury is still a bit open-ended. With the Red Sox's wealth of talent in the outfield heading into 2015, Castillo's chances of grabbing the starting role to begin the season may have declined slightly.

Castillo's left side was examined Wednesday morning and no serious injury was found. According to Sean McAdam of Comcast Sportsnet New England, he expects to be available Thursday.

With something of a job battle taking place in the crowded Boston outfield, missed time is costly for any of the players competing to solidify their role this spring. Fortunately, the ailment that surfaced late in Tuesday's game for Castillo will likely subside in the coming days.

Castillo felt a sensation in his left side after his final at-bat in Tuesday's spring game, CSN's Seam McAdam reports.

It's not clear what type of issue Castillo is dealing with, but the Red Sox figure to have a better idea after he is examined again Wednesday morning. Expect an update on Castillo's status as more details become available.

Mookie Betts, not Castillo, will be the starting center fielder Tuesday when Boston faces Northeastern University, the Providence Journal reports.

It's notable that Betts has been working out with fellow starters while Castillo has been with a secondary group the past few days. Manager John Farrell said the competition for the center field job is still open, but Betts appears to have the early edge based on his starting assignment Tuesday.

Castillo and Mookie Betts are competing for the starting center field job, the Boston Herald reports. "They're going to get equal playing time," manager John Farrell said Sunday about the spring training opportunities. "But I think it's important they both get the combination of the guys on the flank because of communication, the responsibilities for balls in the gap, fly ball communication and those priorities."

We had thought it a foregone conclusion that the Red Sox were paying Castillo $72 million to be a starting outfielder, while Betts and Shane Victorino duked it out in right field. But apparently that's not the case. Early on in camp, Farrell declared Victorino would be the starting right fielder if healthy. A healthy Victorino coupled with Hanley Ramirez in left field limits Betts' chance as a starter to center. Maybe it's all spring-training talk out of Farrell, but Boston's starting outfield as a new wrinkle to consider.

Castillo is a candidate to be the leadoff hitter, but he's behind others at this point, WEEI.com reports.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said Brock Holt, Shane Victorino and Mookie Betts are the most likely candidates to bat leadoff, but said Castillo may evolve into that role over time. Farrell added that job would not be solely dependent on speed, indicating that on-base ability "is the primary driver there."

Castillo is the odds-on favorite to take the starting center field spot for the Red Sox, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald affirms.

Castillo is a likely 20-20 guy as long he gets the starts, but he still carries a fair amount of risk since all we've seen from him is 40 plate appearances last September. That said, the success of other high-priced Cuban players in recent years and Boston's stacked lineup means the reward for Castillo hitting on all cylinders is massive.