Struggling Nava to Pawtucket

Daniel Nava

RED SOX : BASEBALL 2014
April 23,2014.














c/o Ian Browne
      MLB.com

BOSTON -- Daniel Nava's slow start has resulted in a trip back to the Minor Leagues.

With Shane Victorino likely to be activated from the disabled list on Thursday and Boston's bullpen in need of an extra pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Nava's roster spot was the one that will be utilized.

Right-hander Alex Wilson, who spent time with the Red Sox last year before suffering arm problems, was recalled from Pawtucket.

The Red Sox will likely send Wilson back to the Minors on Thursday to open a spot for Victorino, who has been sidelined with a right hamstring strain.

With Nava out of the mix, Boston's starting outfield against right-handed pitchers will likely haveGrady Sizemore in left, Jackie Bradley Jr. in center nad Victorino in right.

Jonny Gomes will continue to play against left-handers while Mike Carp will make some spot starts against righties.

This was a downturn for Nava after being one of the feel-good stories of last season, when he hit .303 with 12 homers, 66 RBIs and an .831 OPS in a career-high 134 games. In his first 67 at-bats of 2014, Nava was hitting .149 with no homers, two RBIs, a .240 on-base percentage and 17 strikeouts.

Nava had some memorable hits in Boston's World Series championship season, including game-winning homers in both the home opener and the first game back at Fenway Park after the Boston Marathon bombings. He also belted a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth on Aug. 1 to cap a comeback against the Mariners in a game in which Boston trailed 7-1.

An independent-league player the Red Sox purchased for $1 from the Chico Outlaws prior to the 2008 season, few had even heard of Nava when he made his first trip to the Major Leagues on June 10, 2010.

In an almost surreal story, Nava hit the first pitch he saw in his debut that day at Fenway over the wall in right for a grand slam against the Phillies' Joe Blanton.

However, Nava fell out of favor after a difficult season in the Minors in 2011 and was taken off Boston's 40-man roster by the start of Spring Training 2012.

But after Boston sustained a barrage of injuries in the outfield, Nava resurfaced, hitting .243 with a .352 on-base percentage in 88 games that season.