ST. PETERSBURG -- Rather than give left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez an inning or two out of the bullpen this weekend, the Red Sox have decided that he will make one more rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Pawtucket.
Assuming there are no setbacks, Rodriguez will rejoin Boston's rotation on July 17 or 18 against Toronto.
Rodriguez has been on the disabled list since June 2 with a right knee subluxation. The rehab start will be his third.
"He's doing well physically," said manager John Farrell. "He threw a good quality bullpen here today, and he would be activated after the break, but we're going to have him make one more start with Pawtucket, and that will be on Sunday. That would be barring anything unforeseen that would happen over the next couple of days here, if we need him to activate him at that point."
The Red Sox are pleased with the progress Rodriguez has made since he sustained the injury falling down in the bullpen at Camden Yards.
"But given the time that he's missed, he's got to build back some arm strength, he's got to build back the pitch count and the overall command," said Farrell. "That's why we feel it's important for him to make one more before he rejoins us."
Along with the recent addition of Doug Fister, Rodriguez gives the Red Sox the luxury of using a six-man rotation when they play six games in the first five days after the All-Star break.
Rodriguez was having a solid season before the injury, going 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA.
"We lost a guy who was throwing the ball extremely well," said Farrell. "He was powerful, he was gaining confidence, he was working deeper into games. Hopefully he can regain that form that he was pitching with prior to the injury. He would be a huge boost to this rotation."