The shortstop has a concussion with no timetable for his return.
For all the talk about David Ortiz' persistent foot problems, another Red Sox regular is also out with an injury.
Stephen Drew is sidelined with a concussion, and that is not to be taken lightly.
This week, Drew told media, including the Boston Globe, that he is in a "holding pattern" until he feels better. This is the first concussion suffered by the shortstop, who was hit on the helmet by a pitch Thursday.
The effects were not immediate. That night, however, Drew had trouble focusing on the print in a book he was reading.
"It's getting better, but you have to make sure these things go away before you go back out there. You can't play around with it,'' Drew said.
Drew's return is not entirely up to the club or to him. Major League Baseball's rules on concussions will require he pass an online test before he can play, and he does not know when that will taken place.
If the shortstop is out for long, comparisons with his brittle brother, J.D. Drew, will probably arise in some quarters. Those who know Stephen Drew say such comparisons are unfair, despite questions about his long rehab from an ankle injury that were raised by the owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks when he played there.
More likely is that Drew's case will be treated with compassion and concern due to heightened awareness of concussion effects. Three weeks remain before Opening Day, but it may not be too early to examine backup plans.
Pedro Ciriaco has been the frontrunner to land the backup infielder spot, but if a need arises at shortstop, Jose Iglesias' improved hitting and established defensive excellence make him a prime candidate.
There is also 20-year-old Xander Bogaerts, who has been playing for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Bogarts is a shortstop by nature, but he has been playing third base in the WBC after a brief learning period in Fort Myers.
Bogaerts went 2-for-3 in Monday's 10-6 Dutch loss to Japan, raising his WBC average to .364.