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In this week's edition of State of the Nation (video above), Gordon Edes is joined by Joe McDonald to break down a dominating performance from Josh Beckett against the Mariners. The two also look preview a tough road ahead for the Red Sox.

BOSTON -- Maybe this is why the extra TV cameras were here Tuesday afternoon -- they were anticipating the sight of a Red Sox pitcher succumbing to tears on the mound.

That's what people do in reality shows, isn't it?

But while Josh Beckett complained last week that he'd become the reluctant star of Off-Days of Our Lives, he managed to shift attention back to the ball field Tuesday afternoon with an outing as dominating as his last effort was depressing.

Tim Wakefield, honored before the game in a touching ceremony, was the only person in a Red Sox uniform weeping Tuesday, when the Red Sox closed out a six-game homestand with their fifth straight win, 5-0 over the Seattle Mariners.

Beckett, who turned 32 on Tuesday, struck out 7 of the first 11 Mariners he faced on his way to seven scoreless innings in which he allowed just four hits, walked two and finished with nine whiffs.

That was a dramatic turnaround from his previous effort, in which he lasted just seven outs while giving up seven runs, making him a jumbo-sized target for those who had questioned his decision to play golf a day after the club had announced he was physically unable to make his next start because of a strained back muscle.

The withering boos Beckett heard as he left the mound last Thursday were merely a warmup to the cascade of criticism he endured after a postgame press conference in which he essentially invited everyone to butt out of his life, stating that what he did on his day off was no one's business but his own.

Given that "Josh Beckett: I Answer to No One But Me" was probably not the marketing slogan the Sox had in mind for the man who supposedly sets the tone for the starting rotation, interest in his next start heightened, which probably accounted for the cameras of ESPN, among others, to be present when he took the mound Tuesday.

But there were no sideshows Tuesday, just Beckett toying with the overmatched Mariners, who advanced only one runner to third base -- Ichiro Suzuki, who took advantage of Beckett's indifference to what he did by stealing second and third with two out and the Sox ahead by four runs in the sixth.

Beckett's performance meant that the Sox made it one full turn through the rotation in which each of their five starters was credited with a win, the most encouraging development during a streak that has drawn the Sox to within two games of .500 (17-19) after they'd begun the month of May with losses in 8 of their first 9 games.

David Ortiz homered over the visitors' bullpen to give the Sox a 1-0 lead in the third, the homer his eighth of the season.

Daniel Nava, who has been a catalyst since his recall last week, was in the middle of a two-run Sox rally in the fourth, his single sending Cody Ross, who had walked, to third. Mike Aviles doubled home one run, and an infield out scored the other.

Ortiz's surprise bunt single in the fifth led to another run, Will Middlebrooks bringing home Ortiz with a wall-ball single, accounting for his 14th RBI in just a dozen games. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, playing for the first time since his 5-RBI game Sunday, doubled and scored on another double by Aviles in the eighth.

The Sox outscored the Mariners, 11-1, in this two-game set, and in their five wins against Cleveland and Seattle outscored their opponents, 34-8. They head to St. Petersburg, Fla., after the game for the start of an eight-game trip bookended by games against AL East rivals Tampa Bay (2) and Baltimore (3), with an interleague three-game set against the Phillies in between.

BOSTON -- Red Sox pitcher Felix Doubront had a little bit of a scare during early field work Tuesday morning at Fenway Park.

The left-hander was playing catch in the outfield when an errant fungo ball struck him in the right ear.

“I’m good,” he said. “Ready to go.”

He was examined and deemed fine by the team’s medical staff.

“Whenever anyone comes off the field you hold your breath, but he tested fine, he feels good and knows where he is and knows where he’s going,” explained Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. “Thank goodness it just hit his ear and he’ll be just fine.”

Doubront is set to start on Thursday in Tampa.

Wake's day: Former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will be honored in a pregame ceremony. He recently retired during spring training after a 19-year career, 17 of those seasons in Boston. He won 200 games (186 with the Red Sox), worked over 3,000 innings, started 430 games, posted 2,046 strikeouts in Boston.

Valentine sat in the Red Sox dugout on Tuesday with old-school knuckler Charlie Hough and the two talked about the art of throwing such a vintage pitch. Hough told Valentine the key is to start throwing the pitch early.

“To be as good as Tim would be very tough,” Valentine said. “He was a very valuable pitcher.”

Glove work: With interleague play quickly approaching, Red Sox DH David Ortiz took some ground balls at first base Tuesday afternoon. The big man has some good hands in the field and has proved that in the past. Valentine was sitting in the dugout, watching Ortiz take fungos. After a quick two-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays, beginning Wednesday, the Red Sox travel to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in a three-game series. Because Ortiz has been hitting the ball so well in the early part of the season, he’ll likely play first base at some point during that series, which means Adrian Gonzalez could see some action in the outfield.

“I think he’s fine,” Valentine said. “I think David can play first base, and Adrian looks alright in the outfield, too.”

Bat work: Red Sox pitchers have also been swinging the bat during this current homestand in preparation for interleague, including Josh Beckett, who pitches Tuesday. The BP progression for pitchers starts with soft toss in the cage, to tee work before hitting in the cage. They’ve also hit outside the last few days.

Birthday boy: Beckett turns 32 today.

BOSTON -- Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis (back strain) will begin a minor league rehab stint with the Pawtucket Red Sox on Wednesday at Durham, N.C.

He will serve as the PawSox’s designated hitter and get three at-bats. He will then play the field on Thursday for Pawtucket before a final decision is made whether he’ll rejoin the Red Sox in Philadelphia on Friday.

Youkilis was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 2 (retroactive to April 29) and was eligible to be activated on Monday.

On Sunday, Youkilis began taking ground balls and was able to swing the bat and he’s been able to continue that routine for the last three days.

“He looked really good taking his ground balls,” said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. “He was moving around today with a bounce in his step. He’ll start tomorrow and get him enough, whatever it’s going to take to have him say that he feels good.”

Since Youkilis has been sidelined, rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks was called up from Pawtucket and has hit .304 with four homers and 13 RBI in 11 games for the Red Sox.

ESPN's Mark Schwarz checks in from Fenway Park to preview Josh Beckett's start today (4 p.m. start) -- which also happens to be Beckett's 32nd birthday -- against the Mariners.

If Josh Beckett pitches today (4 p.m. start) like he did his last time out (7 runs in 2 1/3 innings), he’ll surely get booed off the Fenway Park mound again and some will continue to call for the Red Sox to trade him.

Terry Francona will not be one of those people.

Beckett’s former manager, who is now an ESPN analyst, acknowledged that while Beckett is stubborn (as recently demonstrated by his standoffish response to questions about a golf outing after being scratched from a start), he thinks his results will eventually speak louder than his words.

“When he first came to Boston, I remember telling the media one day, he’s stubborn and someday we’re going to like that,” Francona said in the Baseball Tonight video above. “Now he’s going through a tough time, he’s still stubborn. That’s just the way he is. He’s not going to give in. But I’ve seen that good side of him. He’s not going to let that side in with the media and it’s kind of a shame because there’s a lot to like. That’s just the way it is. When he pitches good people won’t care."

Beckett’s season has been a roller coaster through his first six starts. In four starts from April 13-29, Beckett was 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 27 2/3 innings. But if you add in his two stinkers (7 runs allowed in 4 2/3 innings on April 7 and the debacle his last time out), it balloons his ERA to 5.97.

“They want to build around him,” Francona said. “People are forgetting. Up until about the end of August (last season), he was probably second or third in Cy young voting, then the wheels fell off. Not just him, but everybody. And he’s had a tough start (this season). But rather than run from him, they want him to pitch like Beckett can pitch because that’s how they’re going to win.”

Francona is referring to the disastrous ending to Beckett’s 2011 season. Before giving up 12 earned runs over 13 1/3 innings in his last two starts, he was 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA.

“He likes to compete. He’s not going to back down from a challenge, which is good. I just think when things are going good he gets locked in, he feels good about himself, and he’s not there yet. It’s going to take some work.”

Do you agree with Francona? Do you still believe in Beckett or has he lost you? Vote in the poll above and sound off in the comments section.

Karl Ravech and Barry Larkin break down what Josh Beckett needs to do on Tuesday in Fenway Park to turn his ugly season around.

BOSTON -- Backed by another solid starting pitching performance, the Boston Red Sox have now won four in a row.

Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester tossed a complete game en route to a 6-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night at Fenway Park. With the victory, Boston has its first four-game winning streak at home this season.

Lester allowed eight hits, posted six strikeouts with zero walks, while improving his record to 2-3 this season. He threw a total of 119 pitches (73 strikes). This was his eighth career complete game.

Lester retired the first 11 batters he faced, including three strikeouts, but with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, the Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki hit a hard grounder up the middle.

Lester got a glove on the come-backer but the ball trickled away and out of reach of both the pitcher and third baseman Will Middlebrooks before a play could be made.

The lost bid on a perfect game, or even a no-hitter, did not faze Lester.

Boston’s southpaw retired the next four Seattle batters before allowing a leadoff single to the Mariners’ Michael Saunders in the top of the sixth. Lester allowed one other hit in that inning but was able to get out of it unscathed as Boston led 5-0.

Lester surrendered a total of three hits in the seventh, but a double play helped his case and he again finished with a zero on the board. He retired the side in order in the top of the eighth inning before allowing his only run of the game in the top of the ninth.

NON-EXTENSION: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia saw his 14-game hitting streak come to an end, as he went 0-for-3 with a walk. He went 21-for-63 (.333) with 8 doubles, 2 homers, 11 RBIs, 12 runs, 9 walks and 2 stolen bases during that stretch.

NAVA-BOOM: You never personally forget your first home run. Everyone should remember Daniel Nava’s first one in the majors. It came on June 12, 2010, when he drilled a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues against the Philadelphia Phillies. Nava, who was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday, drilled his second homer of his big-league career in the bottom of the fourth inning Monday night off Mariners starter Jason Vargas. Nava crushed the first offering and deposited it into the first row of the Monster seats for a two-run shot to give Boston a 5-0 lead over Seattle.

SHOP’S HOUSE: Boston catcher Kelly Shoppach finally hit his first home run while in a Red Sox uniform, with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning. Originally selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2001 draft, Shoppach was traded to the Cleveland Indians as part of a six-player trade in 2006. Before re-signing with Boston as a free agent last offseason, Shoppach hit a total of 59 homers with the Indians and the Tampa Bay Rays.

UP NEXT: The Red Sox close out the homestand with a 4:05 p.m. game against the Mariners on Tuesday at Fenway. Boston right-hander Josh Beckett (2-4, 5.97 ERA) will face Mariners righty Blake Beavin (1-3, 4.32). The Red Sox then leave town for an eight-game road trip through Tampa, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

BOSTON -- While Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford continues to rehab a strained left elbow in hopes of returning to the lineup at some point this season, he took some time on Monday to praise the success of Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.

At one time, Crawford, Hamilton and Rocco Baldelli were all top outfield prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Hamilton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft, while Crawford was selected in the second round that year. Baldelli was a first-round pick (6th overall) in 2000.

The trio was set to be the future outfield in Tampa, with Crawford in left, Baldelli in center and Hamilton in right.

Crawford and Hamilton quickly became teammates at Single-A Princeton in 1999. Baldelli and Hamilton were teammates at Single-A Charleston in 2001. Crawford and Baldelli finally connected as teammates at Triple-A Durham in 2002. The three were never teammates and ultimately all went their separate ways.

Hamilton was dealing with drug issues and was out of baseball from 2003 to 2005 due to suspensions. His return to baseball prominence has been a remarkable story, but it doesn’t surprise Crawford one bit.

Entering Monday night, Hamilton was hitting .402 with 18 homers and 44 RBIs in 32 games for Texas this season.

“Back in the day when we used to pull up to the minor-league complex, you had to make a critical decision on where you wanted to park your car that day,” recalled Crawford. “You could take that chance on being close to the building, or you could park in the back because, literally, when he took batting practice his goal was to try to break somebody’s windshield. I saw it a few times where that wasn’t hard for Josh to do and everybody knows that.”

Did he ever break Crawford's windshield?

“Never broke mine, I was smart,” Crawford said with a laugh.

Hamilton put on an impressive hitting display during the 2008 All-Star Home Run Derby, when he set a new record with 28 homers in the first round.

“Everyone was surprised during the Home Run Derby when he hit 28 in the first round, but no one in the Rays organization was surprised by that because we saw him do that every day,” Crawford said. “The world was surprised by it, but anybody who was with the Devil Rays at that time, we weren’t surprised at all.”

Since signing a seven-year deal worth $142 million with the Red Sox, Crawford has been disappointed with his inability to produce the way he had with the Rays. Still, his struggles can’t compare to what Hamilton went through earlier in his career, and Crawford is thrilled about his former teammate’s resurgence.

“Definitely seeing guys he played with playing in the big leagues, and definitely hearing all that stuff that was said about him and knowing at the end of the day he still had that talent, that probably all made him want to do better,” Crawford said. “I know his religious beliefs changed and he got real serious under God and got a new wife and kids and that probably made him change a little bit. All that stuff coming together made him probably who he is today.

“He was really such a good kid. He was really green and really didn’t know nothing about the outside world at the time, and he really was like the kid next door, the All-American kid, and to see him go from being so honest to what he went through, you never want to see something like that. It’s nice to see he bounced back and became the player that we all expected him to be from the beginning.”

Crawford admitted that from time to time he’ll think about what could have been had he played with Baldelli and Hamilton in Tampa. Crawford would have hit in the leadoff spot, Baldelli would have been second and Hamilton would have been third. Then eventually the Rays would have added B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria to the mix.

“We always talk about that stuff,” Crawford said. “It should have been me, Rocco and Josh Hamilton in the outfield because that’s the way [Tampa] had it planned. Lord knows what kind of offense we would have had if it all worked out. That would have been one of those unstoppable honors.”

BOSTON -- Manager Bobby Valentine saluted the impact made by left-fielder Daniel Nava, who has 6 hits in his first 10 at-bats, scoring 5 runs while knocking in 4. Nava also has played much better defensively than during his first go-round in 2010. His story is all the more remarkable because he did not even warrant an invitation to big-league camp this spring.

"Daniel and Brooksie [Will Middlebrooks] have just taken hold of the game,'' Valentine said. "They give us those extra innings where we have a chance to be really a threat, not just send guys up there but be a threat. I like what I've seen so far, no doubt about that. How can you not?

"I heard he worked really hard on his defense. I have nothing to compare it to, but he has looked better than an average left fielder in our ballpark. He's played the wall very well, he went to the line extremely well, he charged the ball well, he's caught the high fly and low sinker. Again, it's a small sample, but he's looked very good defensively.''

Ellsbury update: Valentine delivered an upbeat report on outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (partially dislocated shoulder): "He hasn’t had any setbacks. He has almost full range of motion, his strength is building, it’s all good. His agility and cardio, he's worked really hard on his legs.''

Ellsbury has been placed on the 60-day disabled list, which means he can't be back before mid-June at the earliest.

"We can start counting days, but it's going to be after that,'' said Valentine.

Hot streak: Dustin Pedroia has the longest active hitting streak in the majors, 14 games and counting. He's hitting .350 in the last 14 games, with 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, 11 runs and 8 walks.

Offensive bursts: The Sox are only the second team in the last 81 years to score 10 or more runs nine times in their first 34 games. They're 8-1 in those 10-run or more games, the only loss the 13-12 decision to the Tigers in the third game of the season. That doesn't include the blown 9-0 lead vs Yankees (15-9) on April 23.

What a relief: Since that Yankee fiasco, Sox closer Alfredo Aceves has a 1.54 ERA (2 ER, 11 2/3 IP) with 15 strikeouts. Lefties Rich Hill (2 for 21, .095) and Andrew Miller (2 for 16, .125) have combined to hold opposing hitters to a .108 average (4 for 37), a major reason for the bullpen stabilizing. Then there is the work of Vicente Padilla, who has yet to allow any of 11 inherited runners to score, most of any major league reliever without any scoring.

BOSTON -- When the Red Sox took an early round of infield practice Monday afternoon, they did so with a familiar cast: Adrian Gonzalez at first, Dustin Pedroia at second, Mike Aviles at short, and yes, Kevin Youkilis at third.

“He looked pretty good taking ground balls today,’’ manager Bobby Valentine said. “I wouldn’t think he’s very far away... He looked really good moving around.

“Yesterday, he took 10 swings on a soft toss, 30 dry swings. He’ll hit some balls today,’’ Valentine added.

But it won’t be in a game. Youkilis (back strain) was eligible to come off the 15-day DL on Monday, but that did not happen. Asked by ESPNBoston.com’s Joe McDonald when he expected to be activated, Youkilis answered with a shrug.

The Sox will head out on an eight-game trip starting Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla., but Valentine was noncommittal when asked if Youkilis would be activated then.

“I have no idea,’’ the manager said. “Whenever the medical [staff] and Kevin say he’s ready. All I’m saying, my eyes saw him taking ground balls. He looked good throwing and fielding.’’

The Red Sox have a decision to make, of course, once they do activate Youkilis: what to do with rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who since his May 2 call-up has put up some history-bending numbers. He is just the third player in major league history to hit at least four home runs and drive in at least 13 runs in his first 10 games in the big leagues, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He also has five doubles, and his nine extra-base hits are the most by a Sox player in his first 10 games since at least 1918.

Going back to the Great War, only two other Sox players hit at least four home runs in his first 10 games: Sam Horn (five in 1987) and Billy Conigliaro (four in 1969). So as a predictor of future big-league stardom, that is clearly an unreliable barometer.

Still, Middlebrooks has made a significant impact on the Sox offense since being promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket, raising the question of how the Sox can justify sending him back.

“I think that’s a little premature,’’ Valentine said when asked how the Sox plan to address the issue. “We’ll do exactly what’s right. Those things usually play themselves out. No need to make a decision until it’s time to make a decision.’’

Youkilis was batting .219 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 18 games before he went on the DL. The three-time All-Star is in the last year of a contract paying him $12 million this year ($13 million club option for 2013), and Middlebrooks, the team’s fifth-round draft choice in 2007, is projected to be in line to succeed him.

But his auspicious debut has raised the question of whether the Sox would accelerate that timetable. Talent evaluators for four major-league clubs said last week that they believe there would be a strong market for Youkilis, especially if the Sox ate a significant portion of his salary, but that teams would need to see whether the 33-year-old veteran is healthy. Youkilis has played fewer than 140 games in each of the last three seasons, and his injury history diminishes his value to some degree.

On the other hand, Youkilis when healthy has remained a highly productive hitter, though his career-low .258 average in 2011 -- when he battled back, hernia and hip injuries -- threw up a definite red flag. Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said last week that Youkilis would not lose his starting position because of an injury.

Valentine was asked about the relative merits of keeping Middlebrooks on the bench here as opposed to returning him to Pawtucket.

“Sitting on the bench is not a place for very many players, especially good young talented players,’’ he said. “What would be the purpose of having someone sit on the bench, unless there was a useful purpose for him not being in a starting role but able to contribute to a team’s wins? Is there a place for him to do that? I’m not sure.’’

In this week's edition of "State of the Nation," Gordon Edes looks at the struggles of the Red Sox rotation, particularly at Fenway Park, discusses Josh Beckett's tumultuous week, catches up with Jon Lester, and remembers PA announcer Carl Beane.

BOSTON – Make that three wins in a row for the Boston Red Sox.

The cellar dwellers of the A.L. East bombarded the Cleveland Indians 12-1 in a Mother’s Day matinee on Sunday at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox banged out 12 hits, with catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia leading the charge with a 3-for-4 performance, including a home run and five RBIs. Daniel Nava chipped in with a pair of doubles and three RBIs.

For the third consecutive game, Boston received a solid starting pitching performance, with Daniel Bard getting the win.

Bard worked six innings and allowed one run on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts. He tossed a total of 97 pitches (58 strikes). After the top of the sixth, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine walked down the end of the dugout and informed the right-hander he was done for the day.

Lefty reliever Rich Hill retired the side in order in the top of the seventh inning.

After Boston scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh off former Red Sox pitcher, Dan Wheeler, the Sox held a 12-1 lead leading Valentine to make some defensive substitutions that included the major league debut of Mauro Gomez, who was called up from Pawtucket before the game. The 27-year-old career minor leaguer replaced Adrian Gonzalez at first base.

Gomez made his offensive debut in the bottom of the eighth and he struck out while swinging for the fences.

EXTENSION: With a double to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 14 games. The streak is the longest active in the majors.

HIT ME HARDER: Red Sox rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks has hit safely in eight of his first 10 games in the majors. After going 0-for-4 on Saturday, Middlebrooks went 2-for-3 on Sunday, including a solo home run in the bottom of the third. He has four homers since making his major league debut on May 2.

DOUBLE THE PLEASURE: After retiring six of the first seven batters he faced, Bard pitched his way into a bit of a jam in the top of the third. The Sox held a 4-0 lead when Bard loaded the bases with one out. The right-hander walked in Cleveland’s first run of the game, but thanks to a 4-6-3 double play, Bard got out of it relatively unscathed.

The twin killings didn’t end there.

With one out and a runner on first in the top of the fifth, the Indians’ Asdrubal Cabrera drilled a hard line drive just to the left of the second-base bag. Red Sox shortstop Mike Aviles snared the hot shot and threw a bullet across the diamond to double up the Indians’ Jason Kipnis at first to end the inning.

SUN SCREEN: Red Sox center fielder Ryan Sweeney nearly produced a baseball bloopers video in the top of the second. With no outs and a runner on first, the Indians’ Carlos Santana lifted a high, fly ball to center. It was a clear and sunny day at the park and even with sunglasses on, Sweeney had no idea where the ball was. At the last second he saw it and made the catch.

NOT SO FAST: With the Indians threatening in the top of the fourth with a pair of runners in scoring position, Cleveland’s Casey Kotchman lifted a high, fly ball to right field. Santana stood on the third-base bag ready to tag up, but Cody Ross had other thoughts. After making the catch, he threw a one-hop bullet to the plate to keep Santana stranded at third for the rest of the inning.

ABOUT TIME: At long last, former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon was shown some love at Fenway Park. Ever since he left Boston after the 2005 season, it didn’t matter if he was playing for the New York Yankees, the Detroit Tigers or the Tampa Bay Rays, Damon, a key member of the 2004 Red Sox World Series team, would hear plenty of boos. Now with the Indians, he was given a tribute on the video board between innings with a montage of his six RBIs in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees in New York. He was then shown in the dugout and received a standing ovation. He stepped onto the top step of the dugout and waved his helmet in appreciation.

UP NEXT: The Seattle Mariners come to town for a quick two-game set, beginning Monday night. Boston will send left-hander Jon Lester (1-3, 4.29 ERA) to the mound, while the Mariners will counter with southpaw Jason Vargas (4-2, 2.79).

BOSTON -- Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will make two more minor league rehab starts for Triple-A Pawtucket before being called up to Boston’s starting rotation.

The right-hander is scheduled to start for the PawSox on May 17 and May 22 before his rehab assignment expires on May 23. Matsuzaka made his fourth minor league start on Saturday in Pawtucket, working 5 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits, including two home runs, with one walk and five strikeouts. He threw 90 pitches, 54 for strikes.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine watched the game tape of Matsuzaka’s outing and it was clear to the manager that Matsuzaka needs some more time.

“I didn’t think he was as good as he should be,” Valentine admitted. “His mechanics weren’t very good at all. But he’s throwing pain-free, so that’s good.”

Matsuzaka had said after his third rehab start last week that he was not happy with his mechanics.

“Right now he’s worried about his strength and his ability to endure pitches, things like that. He’ll take another step,” Valentine said.

Matsuzaka had Tommy John reconstructive surgery on his right elbow last June. When he’s able to return to Boston, Valentine will have some decisions to make regarding the starting rotation. Currently, that group consists of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard and Felix Doubront.

When asked about the possibility of employing a six-man rotation, Valentine said he could see it working for the short term, but not on a full-time basis.

“A full-time six-man rotation? It depends who the six are,” Valentine said. “I guess it can work but I don’t have any plans for that right now as a long-term situation. I can see it being done a couple of times through out of necessity.”

When Valentine managed in New York, he said there were a few times the Mets used six starters.

“A lot of it is routine. Breaking routine is difficult for most,” he said. “With six days, you usually have to throw twice in between and it changes the days they lift their weights and changes the days they’re in the training room. We’re all creatures of habit.”

With Matsuzaka on the verge of returning, there could be a little competition for spots in the rotation.

“No one has asked me about his situation as it relates to their situation, but I hope everyone in the starting staff feels like that have to compete and earn everything they get,” Valentine said.

BOSTON -- The Red Sox placed outfielder Darnell McDonald on the disabled list on Sunday with a right oblique strain and recalled first baseman Mauro Gomez from Pawtucket.

Gomez, 28, is in his 10th pro season. This is his first call-up to the big leagues. He’s hitting .294 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs for the PawSox this season. He signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in February.

McDonald said after Sunday’s 12-1 win that the injury is something he’s been battling for a few weeks and it did not occur during his recent pitching performance.

“My whole body was sore after that,” McDonald said with a laugh. “It wasn’t one particular thing because it’s been going on for a while. I’ve been treating it but it hasn’t gotten 100 percent, so they want me to rest and get it right.”

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox transferred outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the 60-day DL.

Speaking of Ellsbury, he continues to rehab from a separated shoulder he suffered on April 14. “He’s progressing exactly the way the training room wants him to progress,” Valentine said. “He’s feeling good and getting stronger, working out.”

* Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis (back strain) was able to hit, throw and take ground balls on Sunday. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday. Valentine said on Saturday that he wasn't sure whether Youkilis would need a few minor league games before being activated.

“He’s progressing nicely,” Valentine said.

* Red Sox minor league outfielder Jason Repko was in the clubhouse Sunday morning at Fenway to have his knee and shoulder looked at by the team’s medical staff. He began the season at Triple-A Pawtucket and was called up to Boston on April 15. He was placed on the DL with a left shoulder strain on April 23 (retro to April 21). According to Valentine, Repko’s shoulder is feeling good and his knee is getting close to where he’ll be able to resume playing.