HOUSTON -- Carson Smith, who had Tommy John surgery last May, will not begin his Minor League rehab assignment as originally planned on Sunday due to shoulder inflammation.
The Red Sox anticipated that Smith would report to Triple-A Pawtucket this weekend. The right-hander threw a simulated inning Thursday while the club was in Philadelphia and then returned to Boston to be examined by team doctors on Friday.
"We're going to hold off on him going out on Sunday," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "He's got some shoulder inflammation. He was examined today through a full battery of tests.