Injured Sox, Will Middlebrooks and Jacoby Ellsbury

Sean Riley
Contributing Writer

Will Middlebrooks saw his first game action in a month last night while beginning a rehab assignment in Pawtucket Tuesday night. Middlebrooks played five innings going 1-2 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout. The Sox hope to increase his playing time in Pawtucket this week to seven innings in today's game and nine on Thursday. Middlebrooks is set to return from the disabled list on Saturday. The best sign from Middlebrooks is how he said he has been feeling and felt after the game on Tuesday.

"Felt great," he said. "I really expected to come here and feel some tightness. I don't feel any, so that's a good sign." "Just ready to ramp it up some more and see how it goes," he said.

Contrary to popular belief, Jacoby Ellsbury "should" avoid a trip to the DL due to his ailing left groin tightness said Sox skipper John Farrell on Tuesday.

"We're hopeful this takes a complete turn over the next couple of days," Farrell said. "We have to get him through some functional testing today and see how he responds to that."

Ellsbury was on the field running on Tuesday prior to the Red Sox 17-5 blow out win over the Rangers. His injury was a very untimely one for Jacoby as he finally started swinging the bat well raising his average .23points over five games before the groin injury.

Although Boston would like to have both Middlebrooks and Ellsbury back in the lineup, their replacements have done well in their absence and the Sox continue to play good baseball. I wouldn't be surprised to see Middlebrooks back before Ellsbury and am still not completely sold on Ellsbury not hitting the DL. However, that is just my opinion and not what Sox manager John Farrell believes to be the case. Either way Ellsbury's ailment seems to be a day to day thing and we will update you with any and all injury news as it is reported.