BOSTON — Mike Lowell is returning. Jed Lowrie is returning. And Nick Green is playing well.

With Lowell and Lowrie both set to be activated from the disabled list this weekend in Toronto, subsequent moves will have to be made to make room on the 25-man roster. Plus, with Clay Buchholz making the start for Boston on Friday, the Sox may have to wait until Saturday to activate Lowell.

That means rookie first baseman Aaron Bates will be optioned to Pawtucket on Friday to make room for Buchholz. Then Buchholz will be optioned after his start, to make room for Lowell.

That leaves one more spot needed for Lowrie. And, what do the Red Sox do with shortstop Julio Lugo?

He has said in the past he'll remain the good soldier and stay ready for when he's needed. He wanted to let the situation play out. It has reached that point. Green has become the everyday shortstop and with the return of Lowrie, that leaves Red Sox manager Terry Francona with the option of having three infielders he can rotate, including Kevin Youkilis, in order to give Lowell extra days off in the second half.

Francona said he should have given the veteran third baseman, who had hip surgery last November, a few more days off in the first half. Because Lowell's hip was sore, he was forced to the DL before the All-Star break.

Lowell said before the break that he felt very good and was ready to return.

Francona plans on giving Lowell a few more days off down the stretch to keep him fresh and ready for September, and possibly October.

In that case, both Lowrie and Green can play short and third, whereas Lugo wants to play only shortstop.

Lugo hasn't played up to expectations since signing with the Red Sox before the 2007 season, especially his defense. That became a problem in 2008 before he suffered a season-ending quad injury in July.

Lowrie stepped in and was solid, despite playing with a wrist injury for most of the season. The two battled for the starting job during spring training this season before Lugo suffered a knee injury and needed surgery.

Things didn't bode well for Lowrie, either. He was placed on the DL in April and needed surgery on his wrist.

That's when Green, the last player invited to camp as a non-roster invitee, took over the job at short. Once he became comfortable, he's made almost every play — and then some — for the Sox. Time and again, he's impressed his manager and teammates with his solid defensive play.

While Lowrie continued to rehab in the minors, Lugo was forced to watch from the bench.

"It's difficult for me because I'm the type of guy who likes to play," he said during the club's last road trip. "I want to play. I don't want to be on the bench. I'm not ready to do that yet."

Lugo has gained a reputation around the league as a player who does not work as hard as the players around him. With that said, it would be very difficult for the Red Sox to trade him, especially given his remaining salary of $9 million for 2009, $9 million for 2010 and a $9 million vesting option in 2011.

It's possible the Red Sox could give him his outright release and would still have to split the difference of his salary if another organization were to pick him up.

It's hard to argue with the facts. The Sox are 42-15 when Green starts at short, 11-16 when Lugo starts. Lowrie, whose option was officially transferred to Lowell last Monday in a paper move, is finally ready to return to Boston and show what he can do when he's healthy.

Does this mean we've seen the last of Lugo? Will he ask to be traded, which he said he would during spring training if he didn't win the starting job? Or will Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein be forced to release him?

Either way, the Sox will have to make roster moves as they prepare for the second half of the season. The last thing Francona needs is inconsistency for the rest of the regular season. Someone will have to be the odd man out.

It won't be Lowell, Lowrie or Green.

jmcdonal@projo.com