BOSTON — Adrian Gonzalez is one of the finest examples of a player who wants to play his position every inning of every game.
However, he may welcome getting penciled into the designated hitter spot for Wednesday afternoon's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's a good time for it.
"For the most part I don't think Gonzie particularly likes [serving as the DH], but I think [Wednesday] is a day where he'll happily do it," manager Terry Francona said. "Some days you don't like it, but I think when you get to this point and you're beat up, it does help."
For Gonzalez, that beaten-up feeling largely involves a neck strain that caused him to miss a game late last month, something that may be causing a relative home run drought. It's just enough of an issue to where Francona would possibly consider giving Gonzalez some time off if the games didn't mean so much.
"I think he still feels it, but I think about every player in the league is not perfect," Francona said.
"That's just the way it is. Especially guys that play every inning of every day.
"It may have cut into his power a little bit. But you play and you continue to play. If there was ever a chance that we could give him a couple of days off we'd probably do it. Probably not the time to do it right now."
Gonzalez has not homered for 15 straight games and has just one in his last 33. His slugging percentage has gone down 46 points since the All-Star break.
With David Ortiz sidelined indefinitely with right heel bursitis, Gonzalez, and others, will get a chance to be the DH and maybe rest some of those weary bones. With 40 games to go after Wednesday's series finale against the Rays, those brief breaks could make all the difference.
Consider that the last time Gonzalez was used as the DH, he responded with a 14-game hitting streak, during which he hit .483 (28-for-58).
