July 17, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Bates back to Pawtucket as Lowell returns
With the return of third baseman Mike Lowell to the Boston lineup, Aaron Bates has been optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket. Lowell was hitting .282/.319/.470 with 10 home runs when he was placed on the disabled list with a sore hip on June 30. Bates, who was originally called up to the majors on July 6 when Jeff Bailey went on the disabled list, put up .364/.417/.545 numbers, going 4 for 11 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI in 5 games played for Boston. A third-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2006 draft, Bates had been hitting .182/.273/.295 in 88 at-bats for Pawtucket at the time of his call-up and had put up a .293/.366/.442 line overall between Pawtucket and Portland. In 457 combined minor league at-bats this season, Bates has hit 29 doubles, 2 triples and 11 home runs and collected 68 RBI. He has hit .294/.392/.474 in his three plus seasons in the Red Sox organization and is currently the twentieth-ranked prospect in the system according to SoxProspects.com.