Mike Lowell's season has been filled with both mental and physical strain, but the veteran corner infielder isn't letting some simple rib fracture curb his final stretch.
Over the weekend, Lowell admitted that he has been playing through a rib fracture since colliding with Toronto's John MacDonald during an Aug. 20 game at Fenway Park.
"It bothers me when I'm sleeping and it bothers me when I get fooled
swinging, so don't get fooled," Lowell said in between games of a
doubleheader Saturday at Fenway Park. "If it gets to the point where I have to do something different at the
plate or different in the field I think it's time to take a step back."
Lowell is hitting .224 since that day with just two extra-base hits and three runs scored.
Rib injuries have been nothing new to the Red Sox this season as both Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida have missed significant time due to rib injuries.
Shortstop Marco Scutaro has a slight tear in his
rotator cuff. He played second base for the first time all season
Tuesday night to cut down on the length of throws he has to make and may
be in and out of the lineup going forward.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia had season-ending surgery Friday on his broken left foot. He is expected to be fully healed for spring training.
