ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In a perfect world, Brock Holt would have rejoined the injury-riddled Boston Red Sox here Monday.
But he isn't quite free of concussion symptoms.
"We talked a lot about his form of concussion and felt like the best way to him to get back to being capable with us is to push forward and stress the intensity, the level of play, because the symptoms aren't going to go away just by sitting around," manager John Farrell said before the Red Sox opened a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. "This is a matter of getting active and being aggressive with it, so hopefully everything calibrates within his system."
The new best-case scenario, according to Farrell, is that Holt will be ready to come off the disabled list Friday before the start of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
Holt has been sidelined since May 20 with his second concussion in less than two years. The super-utilityman began a minor-league rehab assignment last week at Triple-A Pawtucket and has gone 8-for-23 (.421) with four walks in six games, five in left field and one at shortstop.
But at the recommendation of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center concussion specialist Dr. Micky Collins and the Red Sox's medical staff, Holt will continue his rehab assignment through Wednesday before being re-evaluated.
The Red Sox have been besieged by injuries, forcing them to dig deep into their minor-league inventory in an effort to rest fatigued everyday players. On Monday, they called up infielder Mike Miller, a former ninth-round draft pick who was batting .256 with a .624 OPS in Triple-A, and optioned right-hander William Cuevas to Pawtucket.
"Dream come true," Miller said. "Wasn't expecting it at all. To get the opportunity to come up here and play at the highest level, dream come true."
Miller began Monday night on the bench. With Travis Shaw getting a breather against Rays lefty Blake Snell, infielder Marco Hernandez started at third base. Hernandez likely will play shortstop Tuesday night, giving a rest to Xander Bogaerts, who has started 58 consecutive games.
