TORONTO -- Red Sox injured shortstop Julio Lugo was limping around the clubhouse yesterday at the Rogers Centre. He tore his left quadriceps on July 12 and it had been improving, such that he was hoping to start his minor-league rehab on Monday. However, he suffered a setback on Wednesday in Baltimore and he’s not optimistic about his chances of returning soon.

If his leg does not feel better today, then, he said, he’ll have an MRI taken to see if it’s the scar tissue that’s bothering him, or if he tore it again.

“I don’t know if it’s a pain I can tolerate,” he said. “We’re going to give it one more day.”

If it is just scar tissue, he’ll proceed with his rehab; if he tore it again, there’s a good possibility he could be done for the season.

“It’s not good,” he said.

Manager Terry Francona said the club doesn’t want to rush him back.

“It’s definitely a setback,” the manager said. “Who knows how far of a setback it is. It got to a point where every time you asked him something, he would say ‘bananas’ [when he was feeling good]. He’s not saying bananas today.”

-JOE McDONALD