Bobby Kielty, playing with Boston last season, hopes to regain his health and get back into the picture for the Red Sox.

Providence Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach

PAWTUCKET –– This wasn’t the way Bobby Kielty had planned things.

He knew a roster spot in the Boston Red Sox’ outfield wasn’t a guarantee when he re-signed with the organization last Feb. 6. And Kielty, with six years of big-league experience under his belt, likely could have gone to another organization, one where he would have had a better chance to stick with the big club out of spring training.

Kielty, who will turn 32 next month, enjoyed his time in Boston last season after being designated for assignment by Oakland, spending the last six weeks with the Red Sox and contributing a key pinch-hit home run in Colorado in Game Four of last fall’s four-game World Series sweep of the Rockies.

So Kielty was hoping to wedge his way back into Boston, even though he signed a minor-league contract as a free agent, and even though, a victim of the “numbers’ game in spring training, he began the year in Pawtucket.

Unfortunately for Kielty, health has been an issue.

There was the soreness in his left hand, which led to him being placed on Pawtucket’s disabled list on April 20. He had surgery to remove a bone in the hand. He returned on May 27, but was back on the DL on June 9 because of a left oblique strain.

Kielty played two rehab games for Lowell before joining the PawSox for their game Wednesday night, and he was back in the lineup for last night’s series finale against Syracuse at McCoy Stadium. He went 0-for-3 in Pawtucket’s 3-0 victory.

Along the way, the switch-hitting Kielty, who made his big-league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2001, has had to deal with his emotions.

“It has been frustrating, but it’s been the type of year where I’ve been hurt. I’ve got to play to be able to work my way back up. I’ve got to show them I’m healthy and that I can be healthy,” said Kielty, who spent some time in Toronto in between his experience in Minnesota and Oakland.

This is the second year in a row in which Kielty has been held back because of injuries. Last season, a cartilage tear in his left knee cost the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder most of spring training with the Athletics and on May 1 he was placed on the DL because of a torn left calf muscle. He never really got untracked for Oakland.

“I’ve got to prove to the Red Sox I can stay healthy, that I won’t break down again because I’ve broken down twice already (this season),” said Kielty.

And while patience can be difficult to exhibit while you’re on the DL and other guys are going up to Boston and patrolling the outfield, Kielty said he has come to grips with that circumstance, especially after talking to Boston’s general manager, Theo Epstein.

“There wasn’t a perfect situation for them to call me up. Those were the words from Theo’s mouth,” said Kielty, who had accumulated only 69 at-bats for the PawSox this season before last night’s game.

There have been times when the Sox have needed an outfielder for a day or so. Joe Thurston, Jonathan Van Every and Jeff Bailey earned those cups of coffee. And Brandon Moss, who is in Boston now, has had a chance to play here and there.

Kielty, though, is not on the 40-man roster, so a move would have to be made for the Sox to call him up, and they wouldn’t likely do that for just a day or so for fear of losing him if they tried to send him down because he would have to clear waivers in that case.

There is no doubt that with his professionalism, not to mention a career .254 average with 53 homers and 253 RBI in 599 big-league games, Kielty might be able to help Boston before the year is over, and maybe stick in another vital postseason hit or two.

“He’s a good player,” said Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson. “He plays hard. He has a track record of success at the major-league level. An organization can use guys like that as a trump card. We just have to get him at-bats and keep him healthy.”

skrasner@projo.com