Tampa Bay reliever and former Pilgrim High star Dan Wheeler celebrates with catcher Dioner Navarro the Rays completed a sweep of Boston last night.

AP / Chris O’Meara

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The holiday weekend will feature a four-game showdown between the Red Sox and Yankees, with two games slated for national telecasts.

But something is missing from this set. For the first time since the 2000 season, neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees will be in first place in the first week of July. And to find a year in which the teams met this late in the season and neither held down first, you have to go all the way back to 1997.

David Ortiz, who is still sidelined with a wrist injury, figures neither team will be down for long.

“There’s a lot of games left,” said Ortiz. “One way or another, they know how to figure it out. And we know how to figure it out.”

“I’ve given that no thought,” said manager Terry Francona. “It doesn’t matter; it would if it was Oct. 1. We’re going to get the best (from) them and they’re going to get the best (from) us. We know that.”

Back in the swing

A few days ahead of schedule, Ortiz took some swings at balls tossed to him Tuesday, and will do so again today in New York before taking tomorrow off.

Ortiz is hoping he can start hitting in the batting cage as early as next week, when the Sox return from their three-city, 10-game road trip.

On Monday, Ortiz ruled himself out of the All-Star Game, and the Sox are hoping he might be able to return to their lineup sometime in the third week of July.

Baldelli encouraged

Cumberland’s Rocco Baldelli is with the Rays for a few days as the club has frozen his 20-day rehab assignment due to a groin strain.

Baldelli, who disclosed this spring that he is suffering from a medical condition that left him fatigued and particularly susceptible to muscle pulls and strains, is taking a new combination of medications that have helped him greatly.

“It’s been real encouraging,” he said.

As part of his rehab in the minors, Baldelli was serving as a DH and pinch hitter. Later, he hopes to concentrate on getting some outfield play. But the good news is that his career isn’t over, as was feared in the spring.

“Everything’s going well,” said Baldelli, now sporting a rather full beard. “We’re going to sit down at the end of the week and figure out what’s next. I just want to get healthy and get back here and contribute.”

For Baldelli, the Rays’ magical season to date has been bittersweet. While he’s happy for his teammates, he’s naturally disappointed that he hasn’t been a part of it.

“It’s kind of sad,” he said. “I’ve been here a while and we hadn’t had much success when I played. I wish I could be part of this, on the field. But at least I get to appreciate it.”

Even with the physical improvements made of late, Baldelli has come to accept that “my body is not going to feel like it did five years ago, or even two years ago. But I feel I can still contribute.”

Draftee Kelly visits

Casey Kelly, the high school shortstop from nearby Sarasota, visited Tropicana Field yesterday and met Francona and several players.

Kelly, a two-sport star, has an offer to play quarterback at the University of Tennessee, and practice begins next week in Knoxville. If Kelly enrolls in school and reports to football practice for the Volunteers, the Sox lose their rights to him.

“It’s definitely a tough choice,” said Kelly, who visited Fenway on Tuesday and went through a workout for the Sox. “I go back and forth. Not many people get to play (Division I) college football and not many people are the first pick by the world champions.”

Even if Kelly chooses baseball and signs with the Sox, there’s still the matter of what position he’ll play. In addition to shortstop, he also has pitched.

“I love playing shortstop every day, but as a pitcher you make a big impact,” he said. “That’s another thing we have to figure out.”

Around the bases

The Sox announced last night that they will activate Mike Timlin (knee) from the disabled list today, and option pitcher Chris Smith back to Pawtucket in order to make room. … Unsurprisingly, J.D. Drew was selected as Player of the Month for June in the American League. He hit .337 with 12 homers and 27 RBI in 26 games. It’s the first time that Drew has received a monthly league award. … Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning homer. It was his fifth homer in his last 18 games. During the streak, Pedroia is hitting a smoldering .568 (25-for-44) during the streak, lifting his average from .274 to .311. … Manny Ramirez was 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in the series. … The Sox fell to 3-15 indoors this season.

smcadam@projo.com