Good timing: Gonzalez gets first day off of season

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CHICAGO -- When the Red Sox took the field Sunday night, for the first time this season, they did so without Adrian Gonzalez in the starting lineup.

Bobby Valentine figured that, combined with Monday's off-day, the road trip finale would be a good time to give Gonzalez some time. He had started the first 65 games of the season.

Gonzalez was just 3-for-18 on the road trip, with his average at .261 for the season.

"He thought (the timing for a day off) was good, too," said Bobby Valentine. "He's done everything we've asked and for him to give an inkling that a day was needed and for me to not receive the message would be something I would regret.

"It's been a tough stretch for him -- grinding it out every day, (going) out to right field."

Valentine said he got another indication that Gonzalez was tired when, during a double-switch made late in Saturday's game, Gonzalez assumed he was coming out of the game, rather than moving from right field to first base.

"I talked with the coaches during the game," said Valentine, "and (Tim Bogar) saw him at the end of the game and came in and said, 'If you're planning on tomorrow, it's probably a great day (for you to get a day off).'"

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