Lenny

DiNardo

In his last throwing session, DiNardo felt a return of the symptoms that have plagued him since his last start, May 23 in Philadelphia. ``I could feel it in the area of the scapula [shoulder blade],” DiNardo said, ``then down the arm and into the fingers. It doesn’t feel good.” The reliever remains out indefinitely.

The Rule 5 pick suffered a setback while pitching at Double-A Portland on Sunday. On the disabled list since July 5 with a blister on his left middle finger, DiNardo strained his biceps this past weekend and could be out of action the rest of the season.

DiNardo, a Rule 5 pick from the Mets, likely will start the season on the disabled list.

DiNardo will likely become Boston’s 16th pitcher of the young season. The Rule 5 pickup will likely replace Frank Castillo or Phil Seibel in the Boston bullpen.

The Red Sox don’t think DiNardo will miss much time. The Rule 5 pick is competing with fellow left-handers Nick Bierbrodt, Bobby M. Jones, Mark Malaska, Phil Seibel and Tim Hamulack for an opening in the Red Sox bullpen that may or may not exist.

The Rule 5 pick will likely start his rehab stint next week, and then spend the full 20 days in the minors. That way he can return to the majors in September, and the Red Sox do not have to risk offering him back to the Mets.

Maybe we’ll see Craig Hansen on Tuesday. Until then, DiNardo will Boston’s 12th pitcher. Or, hopefully, the 11th pitcher ahead of Mike Remlinger.

Amazing that DiNardo was the first choice out of the pen in a close game. The Red Sox have been afraid to use him for two years now, but even with everyone available after only Mike Timlin and Curt Schilling were used last night, he was thrown right into the fire today. It ended up being too late when Chad Bradford and Jeremi Gonzalez were used later. Between stuff like this and the continued use of Kevin Millar and Gabe Kapler against right-handers, Terry Francona has just killed his team’s margin for error.

DiNardo was placed on the disabled list back in May. The Red Sox are reportedly hoping to stretch him out by the end of the month, so he could potentially return as a starter.

DiNardo will then move to the GCL to resume pitching in games later this week. He should rejoin the Red Sox at some point during September.