Lowell: Slight improvement

Not much has changed since yesterday with Mike Lowell, but he did feel a “slight improvement” today in regards to the slightly torn labrum in his right hip, Red Sox spokesman John Blake said in a release. The conference call with doctors he was going to have today will now be tomorrow. How that affects his stated hope to play in tomorrow’s game in Toronto remains to be seen. The Red Sox will assess Lowell further tomorrow.

The Red Sox also decided how they want the offseason of Clay Buchholz to proceed. He will play in the Arizona Fall League, the plan being he’ll throw 25 innings over the course of a month. Buchholz concluded his season with the Portland Sea Dogs on a mostly postive note after his disastrous season in the Red Sox rotation.

First baseman Aaron Bates and outfielder Josh Reddick will also report to the AFL, joining pitchers T.J. Large, Ryne Lawson, and Beau Vaughan and catcher Mark Wagner.