Alex Bregman is set to return to the Boston Red Sox lineup on Friday. He'll rejoin a team that is red hot at the moment, having won seven straight and 10 of its last 12 games.

Boston manager Alex Cora said Thursday that Bregman will play two games between Friday and Sunday as the team closes a four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. The Red Sox reportedly optioned infielder David Hamilton to Triple-A Worcester following Thursday night's 4-3 win, according to Chris Cotillo of Mass Live, a move that makes way for Bregman to rejoin the roster and be in Friday night's lineup.

Chances are Bregman will return Friday, get Saturday off, and then play Sunday in the team's final game ahead of the MLB All-Star break.

Bregman missed the last 43 games after he suffered a right quad strain while running out a single on May 23rd. He's been working out at Fenway Park all week, and went through a full workout before the team's win over the Rays on Thursday night.

The Red Sox feel comfortable enough with where Bregman is in his recovery to activate him without sending the 31-year-old on a Minor League rehab assignment. 

"Physically, he has done everything here. We trust the at-bat, we trust him. We're gonna roll with it," Cora said Thursday. "You gain, I don't know, five, six or seven at-bats, so why not get them here?"

Cora's biggest concern with Bregman is in the field, but said he'll be out there for nine innings at third base when he does return.

Bregman has been excellent in his first season in Boston, slashing .299/.385/.553 with 11 homers, 17 doubles, and 35 RBI in his 51 games before the injury. Those numbers earned him a spot on the AL All-Star team for the third time in his career, but Bregman will not play in Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Atlanta.

While there were some rumblings the Red Sox could demote prospect Marcelo Mayer to clear room for Bregman, the team opted to send down the speedster Hamilton instead. Hamilton made the Opening Day roster as a backup behind Kristian Campbell, and has appeared in 62 games for Boston, and hit just .179 with 31 strikeouts in his 123 at-bats. He offers some strong defense in the field though, and started 29 games at second and six at shortstop for the Red Sox. 

As for Mayer, there's a chance he could slide over to play second base now with Bregman back at third. But the 22-year-old said he hadn't been told anything following Thursday night's win.

Mayer made his MLB debut the day after Bregman was hurt and has slashed .234/.272/.421 with four homers, six doubles, and nine RBI over 37 games. He was 1-for-3 in Thursday night's win, and ripped an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to cut Tampa's lead to 3-2. Mayer scored the go-ahead run for Boston the next batter, when Cedanne Rafaela socked a two-run single.

Defensively, Mayer has played 36 games at third (including 25 starts) with three starts at second base and two appearances (three innings) at shortstop.