By Joe Haggerty
CSNNE.com Bruins InsiderFollow @hackswithhaggs
BOSTONThe day is drawing near for Jed Lowries return to the Red Sox, and the shortstop checked in on his progress Wednesday while taking a day off from shoulder rehab with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.
Lowrie is 1-for-5 in two rehab games with the PawSox without any complications or setbacks, but has only batted from the left side of the plate in collecting at-bats and getting his timing down. Lowrie worked out with his teammates on the Fenway Park field Wednesday, but said that hell make sure hes 100 percent before coming back from the DL.
I rushed back from the last couple of injuries that Ive had, and that was a valuable lesson for me, said Lowrie, who is taking the steady approach while gaining strength in the shoulder since landing on the 15-day disabled list on June 17. I hadnt played in five or six weeks, so there soreness and some fatigue from not having played baseball. But theres been nothing unusual.
Lowrie knows hell need to play nine innings in a rehab game with a full complement of at-bats before hes ready to rejoin his teammates in Boston. He couldnt tell if that was going to happen Thursday in Pawtucket against the Buffalo Bison, but Terry Francona indicated the Sox will revisit Lowrie's situation after he plays two more games for Pawtucket.
Its a no-brainer that I need to go nine innings before I can come back, said Lowrie, who was hitting .270 with 3 home runs and 16 RBI prior to the injury.
It appears that Lowrie should confront the nine-inning hurdle at some point this weekend, and then perhaps be ready to be activated as soon as next week.
Joe Haggerty can be reached at jhaggerty@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http:twitter.comHackswithHaggs