Martinez

BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez could miss more than one start with a sore pitching shoulder and might end up on the disabled list for the third straight season.

"Let's just give him a few more days," Boston manager Jimy Williams said Wednesday when asked if baseball's best pitcher would be disabled.

Martinez will miss his scheduled start Friday night at Atlanta, Williams said. The Red Sox had last Monday off, so Williams could stick with his regular starters and move each up a day.

That would mean Hideo Nomo, the winner in Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Phillies, would pitch Friday. Or Boston could bring either Paxton Crawford or Tomo Ohka up from Triple-A Pawtucket to start Friday. Both began the season in Boston's rotation.

"We'll get to that a little bit later," Williams said about Friday's starter. "The continued saga. That's what we're in."

August for Nomar?

The Red Sox were hoping Nomar Garciaparra would return from wrist surgery next month, but the Boston Globe reported Tuesday that time frame could be early. Garciaparra has yet to begin baseball-related activity, which would seem to make the chance of his returning around the All-Star break unlikely. "That would seem to be optimistic," teammate Scott Hatteberg told the newspaper. It has been anticipated that Garciaparra would need extra time not only to get back into baseball shape but to play some games as part of a rehab assignment. Over the weekend, the Globe reported that Garciaparra noted there is little precedent for the type of surgery performed on his wrist, making it difficult to accurately predict his return. Medical sources involved with Garciaparra's case say that, so far, a "normal healing process" has taken place.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox said Wednesday that Manny Ramirez is back in the lineup after missing two games with the flu.

Martinez refused comment Wednesday, as he has since pitching eight innings in Saturday's 5-2 loss to Philadelphia. He allowed one run and two hits in seven innings before giving up four runs in the eighth and lacked the usual speed on his pitches.

Williams didn't know if Martinez would be available for the Red Sox next series, three games in Tampa Bay starting next Tuesday. They have next Monday off after playing three against the Braves.

"I think it's in his shoulder area a bit. Just a little tired, that's all," Williams said. "He competes on each pitch as if it's the last pitch he'll ever throw."

Martinez felt "a little better" after throwing softly for 10 minutes before Tuesday's 4-2 win over Florida, Williams said.

"But it just feels better for him" to take time off, Williams added.

Martinez is 7-2 and leads the AL with a 2.01 ERA and 140 strikeouts.

In 1999, his second season with Boston, he was on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder from July 19, after he started the All-Star game at Fenway Park, until Aug. 2.

Last season, he went on the disabled list June 26 with a strained muscle in his left side. He was activated July 13, when he pitched his fourth straight game without a win. He was a special selection for the All-Star game but didn't play because of the injury.

Martinez is having trouble again even though the Red Sox try to give him an extra day of rest whenever possible.

"Maybe because we did it that way it took this long for it (the injury) to happen," Williams said.