FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In a tale of two Tommy John paths divergent, the Red Sox added left-hander Rich Hill to their 40-man roster and placed right-hander John Lackey on the 60-day disabled list.
Hill agreed to a minor league deal with the Sox in December that would pay him $725,000 if on the major league roster. After undergoing Tommy John surgery last June, he was expected to be behind other pitchers while rehabbing this spring. However, the southpaw -- who has made a team-record 15 consecutive scoreless appearances to start his Sox career -- has shown mechanics that have seemed surprisingly advanced given that he is fewer than nine months removed from his surgery. The Sox now think it reasonable to expect that he might be ready to pitch in rehab games in April.
Lackey, meanwhile, underwent Tommy John surgery on Nov. 1. He went 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA in 2011 on the heels of a 2010 campaign in which he was 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA. He is expected to miss the entire 2012 season.
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