FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -Boston Red Sox pitcher Brad Penny was scratched from his first scheduled spring training start because of shoulder weakness, and right fielder J.D. Drew went to Boston for an injection in his lower back.
Penny was to have started Thursday against Puerto Rico. He stopped a bullpen session Sunday after 25 pitches.
“I don’t think the shoulder strength was quite where it needed to be yet for the work load I was doing,” Penny said. “It’s better to take it easy right now than to get out there in the first week of April and have it flare up on me.”
Penny was limited to 19 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, and just nine innings after June 14, because of the shoulder problems.
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Clay Buchholz will start against Puerto Rico, which is preparing for the World Baseball Classic.
Drew missed most of the final six weeks of the 2008 regular season due to back stiffness caused by a herniated disk. Francona said Drew flew to Boston on Sunday, received the injection on Monday and was back in Fort Myers by Tuesday.
Francona described the injection to a facet joint as precautionary and said Drew is expected to return to spring training games by Friday.
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