Pregame: Lowrie could return on the 18th

Jed Lowrie was activated and immediately optioned to Single-A Lowell yesterday, but Red Sox manager Terry Francona says the move was purely procedural.

“The best scenario was to option him yesterday so we could get him back in 10 days,” said Francona. “That’s when we think he should be ready to play.”

Francona said that a couple of rainouts in his rehab games and a “banged up” right knee set his rehab back. Lowrie was supposed to return at the end of this week, but is now slated to return against Toronto on the 18th.

Lowrie will not travel in the meantime but will play in Pawtucket.

“The idea is to keep him in this area until he’s ready,” said Francona.

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Julio Lugo was not with the team last night, attending to what Francona called “a pretty serious family issue.” Lugo is back with the team today, but not in the lineup.

“He needed to be with his wife last night,” he said. “He’s here today if we need him.”

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Dustin Pedroia floated the idea of not playing in the All-Star Game if he needs to be with his wife, who went into labor earlier in the week. Francona hadn’t heard the rumblings, but would support the decision.

“Obviously, he wants to play, but his wife is going through a serious time right now,” he said. “If he needs to miss that to be there for her, then he should do that.”