OAKLAND -- The Red Sox welcomed a key piece back to their roster and lineup for Thursday’s finale of this four-game series against the Athletics, when 2018 World Series MVP Steve Pearce was activated from the injured list.

Pearce suffered a left calf strain on March 17 in a Grapefruit League game, delaying the start of his first full season with the Red Sox.

The right-handed hitter certainly made the most of his time last year after his acquisition on June 28, posting a .901 OPS and seven homers in 15 regular-season games. In the World Series against the Dodgers, Pearce hit .308 with three homers, eight RBIs and a 1.667 OPS, helping the Red Sox win in five games.

With lefty Brett Anderson starting on Thursday for the A's, Pearce should be thrown right into the mix.

Pearce specializes against lefties and had a .304/.400/.559 line against them in 2018.

To make room for Pearce on the roster, the Red Sox optioned first baseman Sam Travis to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Given the slow start the Red Sox got off to, losing five of their first six games, Pearce’s return comes at a good time, given the way he balances out the roster.

“You bring Steve now, his experience, it starts giving us options late in the game,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Everybody knows he hits lefties, but at the same time he’s a good at-bat against righties. It’s good to have him back and start giving us balance to do the things we did when we got him last year. Early [last] season, we had Hanley [Ramirez], then didn’t have him for a while. At that point, we were unbalanced roster-wise. Now we got Pearce. He gave us options. I think it’s great to have him around.”

Bogaerts sore, but should return Thursday

Lost in the shuffle of Xander Bogaerts getting thrown out at third in the key play of Tuesday’s 1-0 loss is that the shortstop drilled a foul ball off his left foot just before that. Bogaerts was out of the lineup on Wednesday, as Cora said he was looking to get him a day off on the road trip anyway. Brock Holt made the start at short.

Cora said Bogaerts should be back in the lineup on Thursday afternoon.

Asked how his foot was feeling, Bogaerts said, “So so.”

Cora ‘proud’ of Laureano

Though Cora didn’t enjoy watching Ramón Laureano help prevent his team from winning with two spectacular throws in the first two games of this series, Boston’s manager has fond memories of Oakland’s center fielder.

When Cora was the bench coach for the Astros in 2017, Laureano was in Spring Training trying to win a spot on the roster. After playing the ’17 season in the Minors for Houston, Laureano was traded to Oakland.

“He’s a game-changer,” Cora said. “I hate what he’s doing right now, but I’m very proud of him. He was with us in 2017, in big league camp with the Astros, and he was that guy wherever I was in the dugout, he was right next to me the whole time asking questions, asking about pitchers, about defense, and all this stuff.”