Youkilis out again with sore back

By Joe Haggerty
CSNNE.com Bruins InsiderFollow @hackswithhaggs
SEATTLEKevin Youkilis will be out of the Red Sox lineup for the second straight game because of discomfort in his lower back despite his best attempts to calm things down when he first felt the twinge.

Sox manager Terry Francona said that the Sox would stay away from Youkilis while hes still feeling things in his back, and it continues a season thats had plenty of nagging injuries eating at the first basemen. Youkilis talked about the back stiffness on Friday afternoon, and said that it originally grabbed at him in the series against the Minnesota Twins. Then it wouldnt loosen up while he took some swings in the batting cages during Fridays pregame, and thats when Youkilis and the team shut things down for the next two days.

Hes still sore, confirmed Francona.

This will be the 11th game missed by Youkilis this season due to an assortment of nagging problemsnone of which have been serious enough to land the third baseman on the 15-day disabled list. Nonetheless Youkilis was getting a little frustrated that his body was breaking down a bit with Boston reliant on their cleanup hitter.

I usually have something going in my back at least once a season, but it seems like there have been a lot of different things popping up physically throughout the season, said Youkilis. Hopefully this isnt something that keeps me out for a long stretch of games, but you dont want to force it and make things worse.

Mike Aviles will jump into the lineup at third base given his .375 career batting average against starter Felix Hernandezas opposed to the 1-for-9 lifetime performance by Jed Lowrie against King Felixand once again Dustin Pedroia finds himself as the unlikely cleanup hitter in the Sox lineup.

It doesnt appear likely that Youkilis would be available for pinch-hitting duties, and his availability for Sunday afternoon should be in question with another off day coming on Monday.