Major League Baseball

BoSox put Ellsbury, Cameron on DL

Published Apr. 20, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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The slumping Boston Red Sox put outfielders Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury on the 15-day disabled list and revamped their lineup for Tuesday night's game against Texas.

Cameron is out because of a lower abdominal strain. Ellsbury has a bruised chest after colliding with third baseman Adrian Beltre on April 11.

Cameron missed two games last week when he passed a kidney stone and a late scratch Monday with similar symptoms. His move was retroactive to April 19.

Ellsbury has not played since his collision chasing a foul ball in Kansas City. He was put on the DL retroactive to April 12.

The Red Sox recalled outfielder Josh Reddick from Triple-A Pawtucket and selected the contract of outfielder Darnell McDonald from the farm club. Boston had lost five in a row when it made the moves.

Cameron signed a $15.5 million, two-year contract as a free agent during the offseason. The 37-year-old was regarded as a defensive improvement, but when he returned to the lineup Saturday he dropped a line drive that led to four unearned runs in a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay.

Manager Terry Francona said the Red Sox didn't want Cameron to try to play through the injury.

"The way I understand it is if you turn a strain into a tear you're in trouble. What we do know is we need to get him rest,'' he said.

Cameron hit .233 with no RBIs in 11 games. Ellsbury played just six games, hitting .333 with four doubles and six runs scored as the team's leadoff hitter.

Reddick was scheduled to start Tuesday night and play center field. Francona moved 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia from his usual second spot in the order to third and dropped struggling DH David Ortiz a slot to sixth.

J.D. Drew, hitting just .146 and in the midst of a 2-for-24 slump, was moved up to second for his ability to draw walks.

"This is a chance for us to stand tall,'' Francona said. "This is a chance for us to show what we're made of — and I believe that. I do believe in being patient, but at the same time what we were doing wasn't working.''

Ortiz is hitting only .158 with no homers and two RBIs.

At 4-9, the Red Sox were off to their worst start since 1996, when they opened 2-11.

"Anytime you do something like this, things aren't going well,'' Francona said. "I don't think we have been good — and that's stating the obvious.''

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