The right-hander kicked off a minor-league rehab stint about a month later and pitched in five games, posting a 5.74 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB over 15.2 innings between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.

With the trade deadline looming a week from Thursday, the Boston Red Sox have shown their potential as a playoff contender, but just as often have shown their flaws. How — or perhaps with whom — chief baseball officer Craig Breslow remedies the club’s situation over the next 10 days is the obvious question as baseball’s many contending teams jockey for the best available players.