BOSTON — Red Sox pitcher Mike Timlin had a closed-door meeting with manager Terry Francona yesterday afternoon, and the veteran right-hander was told he would continue his rehab with the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Timlin, who has been fighting his way back from shoulder tendinitis, will join the PawSox tomorrow in Norfolk and throw one or two innings in order to get his pitch count up. Then he’s slated to work one inning Wednesday in Richmond.

“When you’re on rehab I think the word ‘tentative’ always needs to be used just until you activate a guy,” Terry Francona said.

The plan, for now, is to activate Timlin when the team travels to Arizona next weekend.

Francona attended the PawSox game against the Columbus Clippers on Thursday in Pawtucket and said Timlin looked good during his three innings of work.

“He threw the ball pretty well,” the manager said. “And, I think he felt the same way.”

Timlin admitted during a recent rehab appearance at McCoy that he is champing at the bit to return to the Sox bullpen even though he has struggled at times in his four appearances during this rehab stint. In 3 2/3 innings of work, he’s allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Ortiz takes batting practice

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz proved again early yesterday afternoon why he’s such a professional. He’s been bothered by sore hamstrings of late and needed to take a few games off to rest his legs. Because he’s missed some at-bats, he joined teammate Julio Lugo for some extra BP yesterday.

“He’s very responsible to do what he needs to do,” Francona said of Ortiz. “He needed to take a few extra swings after he was down for three or four days.”

While Ortiz took his hacks, utility outfielder and slugger Wily Mo Pena took some much-needed fungos in center field.

No Rocket at Fenway

There was some thought that returning Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens would make his return this weekend against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Well, that’s not the case and here’s why, according to New York manager Joe Torre. Who would tell Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina or Andy Pettitte that they were being replaced by Clemens in the rotation so TV could get high ratings with him pitching against his former team? Torre also explained that if it were a younger pitcher, he would then have no problem inserting the future Hall of Famer and skipping over the young guy.

Torre said he talked with Clemens before his last rehab start for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, and the Rocket told him, “Any time you want me there, I’m ready, and I’m ready for Boston.” He’ll join the team in Chicago on Monday, and when he does pitch, the Yankees are expecting only five or six innings from him at the start, according to the manager.

Francona visits McCoy

The Red Sox enjoyed an off-day Thursday, and Francona took a busman’s holiday as he attended the PawSox game at McCoy Stadium. He was there to see Timlin pitch, but it was not the manager’s first time at the storied ballpark. He played there in 1991 with Triple-A Louisville (Cardinals) and was back as a scout for Cleveland in 2001 after the stadium was renovated.

“It’s nicer now,” he said. “They did a really good job.”

On Thursday, he sat with Ben Mondor in the owner’s box.

“They were terrific,” he said of the PawSox organization. “I think I gained eight pounds because all they did was feed us the whole time. They were great. They were very cordial and very kind.”

Tight road schedule

The Red Sox have a tough travel schedule coming up after they conclude their three-game set with the Yankees. After a nationally televised Sunday-night game, Boston will charter to Oakland and play the A’s that night.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to wear it,” Francona said. “It’s not going to help us and we’re probably going to get into Oakland around 6:30 in the morning. You just put your Southern League hat on and remember what it was like.”

Around the bases

Boston Bruins legend and Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque was in attendance last night . . . With his double in the second inning, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games . . . Actress Christie Brinkley also attended last night’s game, as did URI basketball coach Jim Baron.

jmcdonal@projo.com