Red Sox 2B Pedroia ready to return vs. Yankees

BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia was ready to return to the Boston Red Sox lineup Tuesday night after missing two games in Baltimore because of a left leg injury suffered when he was spiked by the Orioles' Manny Machado on Friday night.

But the game was rained out and will be made up as part of a July 16 day/night double-header.

Pedroia, who had an MRI exam on his knee and ankle Monday, was ready to return after finding himself in the middle of a controversy resulting from the spiking, and his words shouted at Machado that could be easily read by television cameras.

Matt Barnes threw a pitch up near Machado's head and drawing a four-game suspension and a fine. Pedroia could be seen saying, "It wasn't me," a sign he had nothing to do with the retribution for the play at second base.

The fiery second baseman, seen as a team leader after the retirement of David Ortiz, was apparently acting on his own, leading some to hint at dissension in the clubhouse. Tuesday, Pedroia said, "We talked about that. We're going to keep it in house."

While Pedroia was ready to go, Pablo Sandoval, who suffered a knee injury Sunday, was placed on the 10-day disabled list. Josh Rutledge, coming back from knee surgery, was activated and could enter a third base platoon with Marco Hernandez -- with Brock Holt (vertigo) still on the DL.

Rick Porcello and Luis Severino, two right-handers with something to prove, were the scheduled starters and will be pushed back to open what is now a two-game set Wednesday night.

Boston's Porcello, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, hopes to continue what he hopes is the climb back to showing last year's 22-4 was no fluke.

Severino comes in 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in his three starts on the young season. He has struck out 27 in 20 innings, with 21 strikeouts over the last two starts. He lost his last time out, but pitched a career-high eight innings, struck out 10 and didn't walk a batter while allowing two Chicago White Sox home runs.

Porcello (1-2) allowed three unearned runs in the second inning -- courtesy of two infield errors -- and then shut the Toronto Blue Jays down the rest of his seven innings. He suffered the loss, but the no earned runs in seven innings only brought his ERA down to 7.56.

The Yankees are 11-7, surprising to some, but are 8-1 at home and just 3-6 on the road after dropping two of three over the weekend in Pittsburgh. They now have two at Boston and then come home for three against the Orioles and three more against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"It's an important stretch," Girardi said in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Red Sox (11-8) just finished a 3-3 road trip by salvaging the series finale in Baltimore.

Porcello is 7-5 with a 3.28 ERA lifetime against the Yankees, while Severino is 0-3 with a 4.71 ERA with a 5.71 ERA in four outings, three starts, against Boston. He does have 20 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings against the Red Sox.

The struggling Brett Gardner is hitting .417 lifetime against Porcello, while Pedroia is 3-for-7 with a home run against Severino.

Meanwhile, Boston left-hander David Price, recovering from an elbow injury, reported he was feeling good Tuesday after his throwing session Monday.

Price tweeted: "Feel great today. This is my media session. All questions answered, if you have any more ask Manager John (Farrell)."