Ins, outs of a rainy day
Pedroia set to play, but Panda off to DL
Rain kept the Red Sox off the field yesterday, but if they’d been able to play, Dustin Pedroia would have been at second base.
“I think we all have been around Pedey long enough to know that there’s going to be games he doesn’t feel physically 100 percent, but he’s played a high number of them,” manager John Farrell said. “A high pain threshold, strong competitor, ready to get back on the field. He went through some early work (yesterday), whether it was hitting in the cage to getting some mobility work done. He would have been in the lineup.”
The plan is to have Pedroia in the lineup tonight when the Red Sox finally start the series against the rival Yankees. Yesterday’s game will be made up as part of a July 16 doubleheader.
Maybe by then, the Red Sox will have their full lineup intact.
Pedroia missed two games after being spiked by Manny Machado in Baltimore on Friday. Pedroia injured his left knee and ankle on the play. He’ll return to the lineup just as third baseman Pablo Sandoval is going on the disabled list.
Sandoval was placed on the 10-day DL with a right knee sprain suffered Sunday. It’s not clear exactly how much time Sandoval will miss.
“Some of the swelling that was in there, and it was pretty quick,” Farrell said. “The onset of it, late in the game on Sunday and then even when we got off the flight (it had gotten better). It was a little bit yesterday, a little bit better today, so I don’t have when baseball activities would start, but he’s dealing with a strain.”
Rutledge back early
To fill Sandoval’s spot on the roster, the Red Sox activated utility infielder Josh Rutledge, who missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury. Farrell said he plans to platoon righty-hitting Rutledge with lefty Marco Hernandez at third base while Sandoval is out.
Before being activated, Rutledge played just five minor league rehab games and likely would have played more if the Red Sox infield weren’t so shorthanded. He was 1-for-12 with a home run in the minors.
“In response to Pablo’s situation, and in talking to Josh when he came out of (Monday) night’s game, he felt like he was ready to go,” Farrell said. “He didn’t need to necessarily get three or four more at-bats. He’d gone first to third a couple of times at full speed, didn’t have any hindrance. So, our needs caused us to change course a little bit, but I don’t think to the point of it being a detriment to his base being built up to come back.”
Without Rutledge, the Red Sox would have lacked a backup infielder other than Steve Selsky, who’s a first baseman, outfielder and emergency third baseman. Hanley Ramirez has yet to play the field because of shoulder issues, and Brock Holt remains on the disabled list with vertigo.
“It’s our hope to get him in games in the coming days, and that would be on a rehab assignment, obviously,” Farrell said of Holt.
Barnes still active
Suspended four games after throwing a pitch that nearly hit Machado in the head on Sunday, set-up man Matt Barnes remains active while appealing the punishment. Barnes could drop the appeal at any time and serve the sentence, or he could go through with the appeal and hope for a shorter stint.
“I think there’s a long precedent with pitches in that area that this is typically what’s handed down,” Farrell said. “It’s unfortunate that the pitch got away from him as it did. I’m confident that there was no intent in that area. Like I said, it’s been handed down. When that is served remains to be seen at this point, but I think we’re all looking forward to moving on. It’s been addressed. The penalty is what it is. We’ve got to take it and move on.”
Push ’em back
After the rainout, all of the Red Sox starters will move back one day. That means Rick Porcello will start tonight and Chris Sale tomorrow against the Yankees, with Drew Pomeranz starting Friday’s opener against the Cubs. . . .
Injured reliever Tyler Thornburg played catch up to 120 feet but is not ready to throw off a mound. Farrell said he has no timetable for Thornburg’s return.