Phillies, Red Sox looking to get healthy for postseason runs
Look out for the Phillies and Red Sox in the next few weeks. With the exception of Kevin Youkilis, they’re starting to get their injured players back and seem poised to put themselves into better position entering September … Boston has Carlos Delgado trying to get ready in a hurry at triple-A Pawtucket. It’s fair to say he’s motivated — he’ll make $20,000 a month in the minors and could make $3 million if he joins the Red Sox … Tampa Bay isn’t as worried as you’d think about Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis, who went on the DL because of injuries diagnosed as strained shoulders. They’d be more worried if not for superprospect Jeremy Hellickson becoming only the third pitcher since 1920 to work seven-plus innings and give up three or fewer runs in each of his first two big league starts (the others are Oakland’s Mike Norris in 1975 and Kansas City’s Lew Krausse in 1961) … It’s looking less and less as if Victor Martinez is going to get the long-term deal he wants in Boston, which was partly why Boston traded for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Their scouts think the Rangers’ discard can still develop into a big league regular … Brennan Boesch’s rookie of the year campaign hit the skids with a homerless drought that extended beyond a month entering the weekend … The Nationals face a financial dilemma because of the incentive-laden contract they gave Scott Olsen. He made a $250,000 bonus for his 11th start last week and will be due another $250,000 for his 12th and then $100,000 for every additional one. His ERA has climbed to 5.11, so they can justify sitting him down if they don’t want to pay him … Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond committed his 27th error on Wednesday, when no other big leaguer had more than 17. No one has had 40 errors since Jose Offerman in 1992, but Desmond has a chance … Huston Street and his wife, Lacey, named their first child Ripken.
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