3B Brent Morel (lumbar back strain) still isn’t quitting on the season, despite the fact that the one-time starter likely wouldn’t have a starting job at third base even if he were to make it back. Morel moved his rehab assignment to Class AAA Charlotte on Friday, and he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He was in Class A Winston-Salem for the previous seven games, and he went 5-for-22 (.227) with four doubles and two RBI. Morel’s back did not require surgery, but with the Sox acquiring Kevin Youkilis in June, it was obvious then that Morel wasn’t in the plans. He could, however, give the team some glove help as a September call-up, but that would be it. Morel has been sidelined since May 18.
3B Kevin Youkilis, who left Wednesday’s game due to a sprained left ankle, was back in action Friday after the team’s day off. Youkilis hit a two-run homer and walked twice in the series opener at Texas.
LHP John Danks will now start skipping the playing-catch segment of his rehab program, and he’ll just start throwing off the mound to get his feel back. Danks hasn’t pitched since May 19 because of the Grade 1 shoulder strain, so a new plan was implemented before the three-game series with Texas. He threw 30 pitches off the mound. If he feels good Saturday, then he will likely be back on the mound Monday in Minnesota.
RHP Philip Humber takes the mound Saturday coming off a start in Detroit in which he allowed six runs on seven hits, including four homers, in just three innings. The Sox have no choice but to stick with Humber, but when and if LHP John Danks can come off the disabled list, Humber would likely be the odd man out if he doesn’t start getting some consistency. Humber is 3-5 with a 7.55 ERA since throwing a perfect game on April 21. He also spent some time on the disabled list with a right elbow strain.
CF Alejandro De Aza and SS Alexei Ramirez had a scary moment in the seventh inning, as the two collided on a shallow popup. Both went down and had to be looked at by trainers. Ramirez was the first to get up. De Aza appeared to take a violent hit in the left arm area. He was removed from the game for precautionary reasons, but the injury was not deemed serious by trainer Herm Schneider or manager Robin Ventura, as they called it a mild left wrist sprain. Ventura did say he wasn’t sure if De Aza would start on Saturday or not, with Jordan Danks a possibility.
SS Alexei Ramirez and CF Alejandro De Aza had a scary moment in the seventh inning, as the two collided on a shallow popup. Both went down and had to be looked at by trainers. Ramirez was the first to get up. De Aza appeared to take a violent hit in the left arm area. He was removed from the game for precautionary reasons, but the injury was not deemed serious by trainer Herm Schneider or manager Robin Ventura, as they called it a mild left wrist sprain. Ventura did say he wasn’t sure if De Aza would start on Saturday or not, with Jordan Danks a possibility.
LHP Leyson Septimo has quietly settled into a role with the Sox, with the first-year player helping LHP Matt Thornton as a lefty specialist. Thornton can be equally dominant against right-handers or left-handers late in games, but manager Robin Ventura and pitching coach Don Cooper wanted a lefty who could get the big out in the middle innings, and Septimo has done just that since coming up from Class AAA Charlotte on June 28. Left-handed hitters are just 2-for-15 against him (.133), and he’s retired nine straight batters over his last two outings, helping eat some innings.
