Boston Red Sox reliever Ryan Brasier was hit in the head by a line drive during a simulated game in Fort Myers, Florida and has been taken to a hospital for observation. Steve Nesius/Associated Press

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Ryan Brasier was struck in the side of the head with a line drive during a simulated game in Fort Myers, Fla.

He was taken to the hospital where he is in stable condition and will be under observation for 24 hours, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said during a pregame Zoom availability Friday.

“He’s stable. We’re going to have more information throughout the day and tomorrow. From what I just ask from you guys is pray for him and your thoughts for his family,” Cora said.

Brasier was nearing a rehab assignment. He has been in Fort Myers since the start of the regular season because of a left calf injury that he suffered late in spring training.

Head trainer Brad Pearson called Cora to tell him about Brasier’s injury around 11 a.m. Friday.

“I texted with (Brasier) on the way here (to Yankee Stadium) at 1:30,” Cora said. “It’s been a tough four or five months for him. So it wasn’t a baseball text. It was just, he’s one of our guys, he’s been here for three or four years and we care about him. So we put baseball out of the equation and this is about the human being. We just want him to be healthy.”

Brasier also dealt with a right pinkie fracture this past offseason and left spring training camp for a few days because of a personal reason in February.

The plan was for Brasier to fly to Boston after the simulated game before being sent on a rehab assignment next week.

THE RED SOX will honor retired second baseman Dustin Pedroia during a pregame ceremony at Fenway Park on June 25.

The Red Sox host the New York Yankees that Friday evening. First pitch is 7:10 p.m.

Pedroia retired Feb. 1 because of a recurring left knee injury. He underwent a partial knee replacement in December 2020.

The 37-year-old won three World Series (2007, ‘13 and ‘18) with Boston. He was a four-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner. He won the 2008 AL MVP and 2007 AL Rookie of the Year.

In 14 seasons with the Red Sox, he batted .299 with a .365 on-base percentage, .439 slugging percentage, .805 OPS, 394 doubles, 15 triples, 140 home runs, 725 RBI, 922 runs and 138 stolen bases (1,512 games).

Pedroia’s knee replacement marked his sixth knee surgery in all and fifth since October 2017. Pedroia, who appeared in only nine games from 2018-20, underwent a left knee cartilage restoration procedure Oct. 25, 2017 after arthroscopic surgery earlier that month. He had scar tissue removed during an arthroscopic surgery in late July 2018. He then underwent a left knee joint preservation procedure in August 2019.

BOSTON ACQUIRED outfielder Freddy Valdez from the New York Mets and left-handers Luis De La Rosa and Grant Gambrell from Kansas City to complete the three-team trade that sent outfielder Andrew Benintendi to the Royals.

Valdez, 19, was the Mets’ Dominican summer league player of the year in 2019. De La Rosa, 18, was pitcher of the year that summer for one of the Royals’ DSL teams.

Gambrell, 23, was a third-round pick in 2019 and is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA this season at High-A Quad Cities.