July 6, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Report: Bates gets the call
According to WEEI.com, the Red Sox will promote first baseman Aaron Bates to the big league club for tonight's game against Oakland, taking the spot of Jeff Bailey, who is headed for the 15-day disabled list with a high ankle sprain. Bates will apparently be in the starting lineup and bat ninth. Presently the twentieth-ranked prospect in the Sox system, Bates was just recently promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket from Double-A Portland after putting up a .340/.405/.505 line for the Sea Dogs in 2009. In 24 games for the PawSox, the 25-year-old Bates hit just .182 while making adjustments to Triple-A pitching. Bates was drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft out of North Carolina State. To clear a spot for Bates on the 40-man roster, Boston will transfer Jed Lowrie to the 60-day disabled list, according to Amalie Benjamin. As Lowrie has already spent more than sixty days on the disabled list, the move is simply a procedural one.