In an emergency, Will Middlebrooks could play shortstop.
Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia can only wait for his injured thumb to heal enough to let him play, hopefully without a trip to the disabled list.BOSTON - The Red Sox expect to have another available infielder by the end of the weekend.
They hold out hope his name will be Dustin Pedroia.
The second baseman did some throwing Thursday, his third day of remaining on the active roster but unavailable because of a jammed thumb.
Hoping to keep from putting Pedroia on the disabled list, the Red Sox are playing with 24 men. Manager Bobby Valentine said that in an emergency, Will Middlebrooks could play shortstop with Mike Aviles moving to second base.
Middlebrooks was a high school shortstop. He has begun taking grounders at shortstop before Red Sox games.
Red Sox upper management had previously told Valentine not to move Middlebrooks off third base, which was why Adrian Gonzalez wound up in right field to get all the better hitters in the lineup.
That edict has been modified, but the Red Sox are counting on a middle infield of Nick Punto and Aviles.
Valentine thinks Punto's problem has been lack of timing, the result of scarce playing time. Punto, 34, is a .247 career hitter, but hitting .128 this year.
The Red Sox do not plan to take an extra infielder to Toronto, where they open a series on Friday.
Valentine has said Pedroia could play defense. The manager even suggested his thumb brace might let him hit, but the Red Sox don't intend to take the risk.
They have told Pedroia not to hit in the batting cage. Keeping the Muddy Chicken on the sidelines is no easy task.
"He hasn't hit here (at Fenway). But I passed three batting cages on the way to the park, and I had to check each one out to make sure he wasn't there,'' Valentine said.
Pedroia was in good spirits Thursday, a hint he thinks he may avoid the DL.
He was asked of his immediate plans.
"I might quit. There are a lot of sports I play better than baseball,'' he cracked.
"I could be an NFL linebacker.''
The Red Sox still hope the swelling in Pedroia's thumb will subside to where he can resume playing soon - without the DL.
BUSY BULLPEN: Aware of the perception he might be exhausting his bullpen, Valentine rattled off a long list of statistics comparing Boston's use of relievers to other American League teams.
The Red Sox were fourth in relief appearances, fourth in relief innings and between third and sixth in most categories.
The relief numbers seemed to relieve Valentine.
"I thought we were a little more on the outside ledge, but we're not,'' he said.
Closer Alfredo Aceves worked his fourth straight night Wednesday, but still ranks only seventh in the AL with 25 appearances. Scott Atchison leads all relievers with 29 innings, but is 39th in games with 20.
Valentine says he keeps a weekly chart, not just of appearances but of frequency of relievers warming up.
MAC STATUS: Outfielder Darnell McDonald will play at Pawtucket through the weekend, then be re-evaluated for an oblique strain.
If McDonald is activated, a roster spot will be needed. That poses a quandary for a team that likes the way all of its outfielders are playing.