BALTIMORE -- Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew was out of the lineup last night because of back stiffness.

Drew was removed from Sunday’s game in Boston when he felt his back “grab at him” while he was in the field.

“Hopefully, we got him out soon enough where it doesn’t completely lock up on him and we lose him for four or five days,” manager Terry Francona said.

Drew has a history of back issues, including earlier this year during the club’s trip to Japan. He said the recent discomfort surprised him because he hadn’t felt any pain recently.

“It’s pretty stiff today,” he said prior to last night’s game. “I thought I caught it in time (Sunday) during the game to be able to play today, but it got more and more stiff. We’ll see how I am tomorrow. Hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later.”

Drew said it’s been a crazy season, dealing with these back issues, so he plans on being very careful with it. But he doesn’t feel it’s something to be too concerned about.

“It’s just one of those things,” he said. “I had an injury a long time ago in St. Louis, where I used to have some real bad flareups. It was pretty aggravating, missing some games with it, and you just wish it would go away. We would get it feeling good and you don’t think about it, and next thing it pops back up.”

With Drew out, Jacoby Ellsbury played right, Coco Crisp was in center and Bay played left last night against the Orioles.

The last time the Red Sox were in Baltimore, Drew missed a couple of games because of vertigo.

jmcdonal@projo.com