BOSTON — Alex Bregman could be back much sooner than the Red Sox initially thought when their star third baseman went down with a quad strain in Game 1 of a May 23 doubleheader.

His latest ultrasound was promising, he announced in the Red Sox clubhouse on Friday afternoon.

“That showed that it was doing really well in healing, healing the way we wanted it to,” Bregman said of the testing, “so just continuing the progression and getting it stronger, and picking up the running volume, and it’s moving in the right direction.”

“The biggest thing for this is just building running volume and running capacity to where I can be able to withstand going 4 for 4 with two doubles off the wall that I gotta get to second on,” he explained.” So once I build up to that running volume and that capacity, I’ll be ready to go.”

While Bregman didn’t want to announce a specific date, he expressed hope that he could be back before the MLB All-Star break, which begins on July 14. It would be a significantly faster turnaround than 2021, when he suffered a left-quad strain on June 16 and missed about 10 weeks before returning to the Houston Astros lineup on Aug. 25.

“I don’t know, maybe some good luck,” Bregman said when asked why the recovery seemed to be moving faster this time. “Overall this one’s been healing much faster, which is maybe not what I would have predicted from the beginning, but it has been, and just super thankful.”

After beginning his running progression late last week, Bregman said he’s “running up to like 50 percent” and working out in the gym, and trying to strengthen his leg every day.

“We’re basically rehabbing for 12 hours a day,” the veteran infielder said, explaining that he arrives at the ballpark around 11 a.m. each day and works until game’s end. “I’m trying to get back on the field as fast as possible, help this team win baseball games.”

The Red Sox were 27-26 through Bregman’s last game; they entered Friday 7-10 since. Individually, he was in the midst of a tremendous spring before the injury halted what otherwise would’ve been his third All-Star selection and first since 2019. Through 51 games, he’s slashed .299/.385/.553 with 59 hits, 17 doubles, 11 home runs, 32 runs, and 35 RBIs.

“It’s definitely tough, you never want to be hurt,” he said of being on the sidelines, especially while the team has struggled, “but there’s only one thing to do and (it’s) kind of just put all your focus into the rehab and getting back as fast as you possibly can and as healthy as you possibly can so you can maintain that the rest of the way.”

“He’s in a good spot mentally,” manager Alex Cora told reporters shortly after. “He made some progress, but I don’t want to jump the gun and start thinking ahead, you know.”

Notably, Bregman said he wasn’t sure if he would go on a rehab assignment before coming off the injured list.

“I don’t even know if there will be one,” he said. “There might be, there might not be. I’m not too positive, but we’ll see.”

Asked if Bregman would need a rehab assignment, Cora said, “We got ways for him to get at-bats here. … We’ll get there when we get there.”

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