TORONTO -- Injury update: Mike Lowell, who took the weekend off, said on Sunday that he was feeling some slight improvement in his right hip, but the Sox believe it will take another day or two for the new medication he's been taking to really help.

Lowell could return to the lineup mid-week in order to get some at-bats and regain his timing at the plate before the start of the postseason.

``We'll leave [the hip] alone for a couple days,'' said manager Terry Francona, ``and let it cool down.''

J.D. Drew (herniated disc) will be re-examined today to see if he's made any progress.

``I don't know if there's a need to see a [back] specialist,'' said Francona, ``it's just a matter of tolerating what's there.''

Finally, there's Julio Lugo, who can't seem to clear the final hurdle to come back from his strained quad.

``He's trying to get to that last plateau,'' said Francona, ``and he can't get there.''

``I feel better,'' said a frustrated Lugo, ``but I don't get that explosion every time I try to push it. You can't go into a game [situation] not knowing how [the quad] is going to react.''

-SEAN McADAM