Mike Lowell joins a long list of Red Sox players nearing a return from injury. On Thursday, the veteran third baseman is scheduled to make his first minor league rehab start in Pawtucket.
Lowell received a cortisone injection in his surgically repaired right hip in New York on Monday.
"I think that will take me over the top to feeling good," Lowell told ESPN.com on Sunday, a day prior to getting the shot. "I can run around and everything, but I think that just gives me a lot more flexibility."
The team wants Lowell to play in four games over six days for the Triple-A club, according to ESPN. Lowell will appear in the PawSox' lineup as a designated hitter on Thursday before heading to Columbus to play in both games over the weekend and again on Tuesday.
Lowell looks at the minor league stint as a way to get some at-bats that he may not have otherwise had with the Red Sox.
"I'm not opposed to [do a rehab assignment]," Lowell told ESPN. "I'd like to get at-bats, and the guys are healthy at the three positions I play. Like I tell everyone, if I played basically any other position than the three I can play — first base, DH and third — I'd probably have at-bats.
"There's no joy in feeling 10 times better than last year and not playing, especially when we're at a critical part of the season and I feel I could help our offense. The thing is, I don't play second, I don't play center, I don't catch. I mean, I was drafted as a catcher, but I think my hip would take a beating there."
Lowell has a .213 batting average with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 31 games for the Red Sox this season.
In other health news, Clay Buchholz, who last took the mound on June 26, started on Wednesday in Boston’s rubber match against Oakland.
Buchholz pitched 3 2/3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday, allowing four hits and two runs.
On Wendesday, the right-hander gave up five runs on six hits in four innings in Boston's 6-4 loss to Oakland.
"I expected to be a little bit rusty," Buchholz told MLB.com. "I basically went in wanting velocity and everything to be there, and not notice that I was favoring anything, so that's what I went out there to do. Everything felt good."
Buchholz won seven of his last eight starts before injuring his left hamstring while running the bases in San Francisco. He returns with a 10-4 record and a 2.45 ERA.
Another pitcher on his way back from the DL is Josh Beckett, who’s scheduled to return to the rotation on Friday in a start against Seattle.
Infielder Jed Lowrie was activated from the 60-day disabled list on Wednesday after his working his way back from mononucleosis, and he saw his first action of the season in the series finale against the A’s.
Catcher Victor Martinez was fitted with a protective shield after feeling pain in his fractured left thumb while playing catch on Sunday. But he took batting practice on Monday and could return as early as next week in Anaheim.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia had a CT scan on Friday that showed positive signs of healing in his broken left foot. He ditched his crutches and can now put weight on the foot, but he will remain in a boot throughout the rest of the West Coast road trip.
Catcher Jason Varitek also had a CT scan on his broken left foot on Friday. He is still on crutches, a couple of weeks behind Pedroia in recovery.
Outfielder Jeremy Hermida played left field in his second game for Pawtucket on Tuesday. He went 1-for-4 and is expected to be activated on Thursday.
Fellow outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is continuing to rehab with the Red Sox’ Gulf Coast League affiliate in Florida.
