Red Sox designate Lugo for assignment

July 17, 2:57 PMBoston Baseball ExaminerSteve Weissman

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Former Red Sox
shortstop Julio Lugo

It was only a matter of time: the Boston Red Sox today designated shortstop Julio Lugo for assignment, giving the team one week to trade or release him.

As has been well chronicled, his expensive contract (4 years, $32 million, currently in Year 3) likely limits the number of trading partners (perhaps to zero) the Sox will have unless the club agrees to pay most or all of the $13 million still owed him through the end of next year. But since an outright release will cost the team all of that sum without fail, the betting is the Sox will agree to accept anything more than a bag of balls from anyone open to taking Lugo in return.

About the only surprise associated with Lugo’s designation today is that it took place, well, today rather than tomorrow or perhaps Sunday. Conventional wisdom has been that the Red Sox would send recent callup Aaron Bates back to Pawtucket today to make room on the roster for tonight’s starting pitcher, Clay Buchholz. They’d then return Buchholz to the minors tomorrow to make room for either Mike Lowell or Jed Lowrie – both of whom are expected to return from injuries this weekend – and Lugo would be moved to accommodate the other.

The Red Sox’s infatuation with Lugo puzzled this observer right from the beginning, and the outcome, unfortunately, was all too predictable. Now we must hope that Lowrie is indeed recovered and can actually play the position. Otherwise, we’re back to Nick Green and whoever the next contestant will be to become the Shortstop of the Future.