Lovullo defends Hanley's decision to go home

NEW YORK -- Rather than travel with the Red Sox for their final road trip of the season, Hanley Ramirez went home to South Florida to get his offseason training program started.

Last week, the Red Sox announced that Ramirez wouldn't play again this season due to a right shoulder injury.

"Hanley is starting his rehab progress, or rehab progression, in Fort Lauderdale with his personal trainer, his physical therapist that he's going to have for the entire offseason," interim manager Torey Lovullo said after the Sox's 5-1 victory over the Yankees. "We just thought it would be a good thing to start as soon as possible. He starts on Tuesday. He's not with us right now."

Due to Ramirez's tough first season in Boston and struggles to live up to his free-agent contract, there is bound to be plenty of scrutiny regarding the slugger's decision not to spend the final week with his teammates.

But Lovullo made it clear the Red Sox were on board with his program.

"We shut down Hanley to get him on his progression as soon as possible with his trainer and physical therapist," Lovullo said. "[Team trainer] Dan Dyrek is going to fly down there to be with him for several days to see that program off. I'm sensing [people in the media] feel like he's kind of forgotten about and we're shooing him out of the door. That's not the case at all."