Martinez Confident He Won’t Miss Turn

Pedro Martinez needed only 10 minutes of throwing Wednesday to learn what he and Boston Red Sox fans hope will save their season.

His shoulder feels fine.

Boston’s ace was confident he’d take his regular turn in the rotation Saturday against the Texas Rangers after leaving Monday night’s 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth inning because of a stiff right shoulder.

“Everything’s fine,” he said. “I’m very optimistic right now.”

For five minutes, Martinez played long toss with pitching coach Joe Kerrigan in front of the Red Sox bullpen in right field. Then he walked a few feet into the bullpen and threw off the mound for another five minutes. Fastball, changeup, curve, everything worked.

“I just threw my pitches, threw everything over,” Martinez said, “just like in a normal game.”

For Martinez, a normal game is extraordinary. And with the Red Sox locked in a tight playoff race, his presence is essential for them to have a shot at their third consecutive playoff berth.

His 1.59 earned-run average is the lowest in baseball. So is his opponents’ .170 batting average against him. And his 210 strikeouts lead the American League. He’s 13-4 and the Red Sox have scored only three runs in those losses while he has given up only nine.

But on Monday, he served up a three-run homer to light-hitting Miguel Cairo in the third inning, then took himself out of the game after the fourth because of the shoulder problem.

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Texas Ranger pitcher Ryan Glynn is expected to resume workouts Saturday after medical tests determined the cause of his sudden fainting and that he had no lingering effects.

Dr. David Hunter, the Rangers’ internist, said Wednesday that Glynn could be more susceptible to fainting again under certain conditions, but there is nothing wrong with the pitcher’s heart. Glynn had never experienced such a problem before.

Glynn suddenly passed out after being taken out in the fifth inning of Friday night’s game against the Red Sox. He had thrown 95 pitches in a game that started in 98-degree heat.

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The Oakland Athletics signed all-star right-hander Tim Hudson to a four-year contract extension worth $9 million. Hudson, 25, is fourth in the American League with 13 wins, and has a 4.79 ERA in 23 starts for Oakland this season. . . . The Montreal Expos signed first baseman Lee Stevens to a two-year contract extension. Stevens, 32, was eligible to become a free agent after the season.