BOSTON -- The Red Sox placed third baseman Pablo Sandoval on the disabled list with a right knee sprain on Tuesday. The move is retroactive to Monday.
Infielder Josh Rutledge, who opened the season on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, has been activated to take Sandoval's spot on the roster, and he will get some at-bats at third base.
The moves took place before the opener of a nine-game homestand, in which the Yankees, Cubs and Orioles will be visiting Fenway Park.
Red Sox manager John Farrell will use the left-handed-hitting Marco Hernandez and right-handed-hitting Rutledge at third base in Sandoval's absence. Normally, Brock Holt would have been an option, but the utility man was placed on the DL on Friday with vertigo.
Hernandez might also be needed to fill in at second base for Dustin Pedroia, who is day to day with left knee and ankle woes after being slid into by Manny Machado over the weekend in Baltimore.
Sandoval suffered his injury playing defense in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Orioles.
"I'm going to do everything I can to get back on the field as quick as I can," said Sandoval. "When I come off the DL, I just want to be 100 percent to do everything I can to help the team win. I feel way better than [Monday]. I'm seeing a lot of progress, day by day."
After missing nearly all of last season following left shoulder surgery, the 30-year-old Sandoval is batting .213 (13-for-61) with three home runs, one double, 10 RBIs and seven runs scored in 17 games this season.