The plan now is for Stephen Drew to play for Portland on Sunday and Monday, and then return to the Red Sox on Wednesday, after Tuesday's off-day for the major league team.
TORONTO — Stephen Drew's fill-in at shortstop, Jose Iglesias, returned to the Red Sox lineup Sunday after sitting out a game because of a contusion on his right arm.
"Even yesterday, (Iglesias) was available yesterday, but we had planned a down day for him," manager John Farrell said. "Guys not accustomed to the turf here (at Rogers Centre), which is the same reason (Mike) Napoli is DH'ing today."
There was a possibility that Sunday could be Iglesias' last game with the Red Sox, ahead of Drew's return from a concussion Monday for the Fenway Park opener against the Orioles.
But Drew had his third rehab game with Double-A Portland — and the first in which he was supposed to go nine innings — canceled Saturday because of cold weather, and Drew wants more at-bats. The plan now is for Drew to play for Portland on Sunday and Monday, and then return to the Red Sox on Wednesday, after Tuesday's off-day for the major league team.
"He'll play two more games in Portland, today and tomorrow ... and return to us for Wednesday's game against Baltimore," manager John Farrell said. "I think just talking with him late yesterday afternoon, he felt an additional 8-10 at-bats would be helpful. He's starting to feel much more comfortable, but he felt like two additional games, to go nine innings each day, would put him in a better position to return to us."
Farrell said Drew has been symptom free following his concussion March 7.
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