BOSTON – It looks like Manny Ramirez will play left for the Red Sox after all.

	Ramirez

The Red Sox have asked Ramirez to play left when he returns to the outfield and Ramirez will do so, the Boston Herald reported on Wednesday. Ramirez has been used exclusively as Boston's designated hitter this seaon because of a hamstring injury. Ramirez may return to the outfield on the current homestand.

"They've asked me to take balls off the wall," Ramirez told the Herald. "(Manager) Jimy (Williams) said right field here is too big and since my leg is not 100 percent, they want me to play left."

"My leg is not 100 percent yet and over there (in right), there's a lot of ground to cover."

His eventual move to left field does not bode well for Troy O'Leary, who has been in a season-long slump at the plate, but went 3-for-5 with two RBI last night as the leftfielder.

Ramirez' switch from designated hitter to left field does open up more playing opportunities for Scott Hatteberg and Dante Bichette, pegged by the ballclub as the designated hitters as spring training wrapped up.

Prior to getting hurt, Ramirez spoiled the club's intentions of having him play left field when he announced that he did not feel comfortable switching from right field, where he played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians.

Bichette said the last time he played in right field at Fenway Park was when he was with the Angels in 1990.