Mike Lowell’s Pawtucket rehab stint is measuring up as one of the best in the minor-league club’s history. The rehabbing corner infielder’s three home runs Tuesday made him the first PawSox player to hit three in a game since Jonathan Van Every did it in June 2008. In the first four games of his rehab, Lowell was 8-for-18 (.444) with three doubles, three homers and seven RBI.

And on Wednesday, Lowell went deep yet again, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning at Toledo.

That places him in a pantheon of bigtime performances by bigtime Sox rehabbers in the last decade. Among the best, according to crack PawSox PR man Bill Wanless, are Nomar Garciaparra’s 7-for-16 with two doubles and one homer while rehabbing from wrist surgery in 2001; Curt Schilling’s 15 scoreless innings over three rehab starts in 2007 (allowing only eight hits while punching out 18).

For sheer spectacle, however, nothing will probably top David Ortiz’s three-night showcase at a packed McCoy Stadium in July 2008, when he blasted home runs in each of his three rehab games in front of TV cameras, writers and fans from around the region.

Lowell’s three homers took everyone by surprise, including his big-league manager — who at first didn’t understand exactly what Lowell had done.

“I thought he hit a three-run homer. The guys came down [and told me] somebody in the dugout, and I didn’t realize at the time it was three homers,” Francona said.

Lowell could be activated Friday, but nothing is certain regarding his future, as he continues to be a trade possibility.

The latest reports and rumors indicate that no trade is imminent; Lowell is the type of player who, if there is interest, could be moved after the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

dbarbari@projo.com