Red Sox Will Use Schilling in Bullpen

With their struggling closer needing surgery and their ace at partial strength, the Boston Red Sox are sending Curt Schilling to the bullpen to plug a gap there and help him work his way back from an ankle injury.

Schilling has been on a minor league rehabilitation assignment while trying to recover from a right ankle injury that put him on the disabled list after three starts. In what was expected to be his last rehab appearance, he struggled to get through five innings with triple-A Pawtucket on Monday.

After a brief workout Wednesday before the Red Sox played in Texas, Schilling left to rejoin Pawtucket to throw an inning in relief tonight.

Manager Terry Francona said Schilling isn’t ready to give the team the innings needed from a starter but can help for a couple of innings.

Closer Keith Foulke was put on the 15-day disabled list and will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today.

*

Texas Ranger pitcher Kenny Rogers apologized for last week’s tirade against two TV cameramen that sent one to the hospital and prompted a police investigation but said he had not decided whether he will go to next week’s All-Star game.

Rogers, who is appealing his 20-game suspension for the outburst, apologized to fans and the cameramen in his first public comments since the June 29 episode. He declined to take questions, and said he was speaking against the advice of his lawyer.

“I feel compelled to come before you and express my deep regret for my actions,” Rogers said. “An incident that should have never occurred.”

Arlington, Texas, police spokesman Christy Gilfour said Wednesday that KDFW cameraman Larry Rodriguez and David Mammeli, a Fox Sports Southwest photographer who was first shoved but not injured, had filed assault reports.

*

Florida Marlin right-hander Josh Beckett will miss his scheduled start Sunday against the Chicago Cubs because of a strained left abdominal muscle.... Outfielder Scott Podsednik of the Chicago White Sox and pitcher Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros earned the final spots on the All-Star teams in Internet fan voting.