BOSTON — Clay Buchholz will pitch again this season for the Red Sox, but it’s likely to be in a relief capacity.

Buchholz, who pitched a no-hitter Saturday in his second major-league start, hasn’t been penciled in for another start over concerns about his workload. But the Sox intend to see how he adapts to some bullpen work.

“We’ll try to get him some structured innings,” said manager Terry Francona.

Asked to clarify that role, Francona responded: “I think that kind of speaks for itself.”

Indications are that Buchholz will not be asked to pitch more than an inning at a time and will only come in to start innings. Like fellow rookie starter-turned-reliever Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees, he will probably be guaranteed a day off between appearances.

If Buchholz shows an aptitude for the role, it’s possible he could be in the running for a postseason roster spot.

“It’s a role I’m going to have to play for a while and as long as they want me to play it,” said Buchholz. “It’s still pitching, but your demeanor has to be a little bit different.”

A.L. player of week

Buchholz, incidentally, was named American League Player of the Week for his no-hitter.

It marks the second straight week that a Red Sox player was so honored. The previous week, Mike Lowell and David Ortiz shared the honor.

Earlier this year, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia and Manny Ramirez were recipients of the award.

Manny progressing

Ramirez, sidelined with a strained left oblique, continues to make progress.

Francona said Ramirez has been working extensively, doing some rotational exercises “at a crisp pace.”

Francona, however, didn’t know when Ramirez might be cleared to swing a bat.

Schilling still on

Shortly after 3:45 yesterday afternoon, Red Sox starter Curt Schilling left Fenway Park abruptly to take care of an unspecified issue at home.

There was no indication last night that the issue would compromise his scheduled start tonight in the finale of the homestand.

Wakefield starts tomorrow

Tim Wakefield, whose back spasms led indirectly to Buchholz getting an unexpected start, will make his next start, tomorrow in Baltimore, the beginning of the team’s mini-road trip.

“He’s fine, all set to go,” said Francona. “He’s very upbeat.”

Wakefield could have as many as five starts remaining. He’ll need to win four to become a 20-game winner for the first time and two to set a career high for victories. Wakefield has 16 wins; he won 18 games in 1998.

Hansack to work in relief

With the International League’s regular season over, Devern Hansack was added to the roster.

When the Sox made their initial call-ups on Sept. 1 as major-league rosters expanded, Hansack had pitched the previous night and would have been unavailable through the weekend. The Sox chose to bring up Craig Breslow, giving them a third lefty in the bullpen, then demoted Breslow on Monday and brought up Hansack.

Hansack started most of the season for Pawtucket, where he was 10-7, 3.01 in 25 games, but will pitch out of the bullpen here. He led the PawSox in wins, innings and strikeouts.

By the end of the NESN telecast of Buchholz’s no-hitter Saturday night, the network had a rating of approximately 20, nearly double what it might otherwise get for a Saturday, historically the worst viewing night of the week.

Also, the postgame show, which featured the pitcher’s press conference, was the highest-rated such show in NESN’s history.

Lowell’s streak ends

Third baseman Mike Lowell saw his 16-game streak hitting streak come to an end.

Lowell struck out in the first, flied to center in the third, flied to right in the fifth and grounded out in his final at-bat in the seventh.

Lowell’s streak had been the second-longest for a Sox player this season. Kevin Youkilis had a 23-game streak from May 5 to June 1.

A workhorse

Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon earned his 33rd save of the season last night, and for the first time this season he worked three consecutive games.

Francona explained the reasoning behind not overusing Papelbon this season was to make sure the hard-throwing right-hander had gas left in the tank come the final month of the season and into the postseason.

“Tonight was huge for me,” said Papelbon. “I’ve said it all along that this is something my body needs to go through and my body needs to feel because during the stretch run there will be those opportunities where I’m going to be called on three days in a row.”

He has worked 12 2/3 scoreless innings with 10 saves and 21 strikeouts with just one hit in his 13 last appearances.

Around the bases

Jacoby Ellsbury, who singled, homered and tripled in his first three at-bats, didn’t get another at-bat in the eighth, depriving him of the chance to become the first Red Sox rookie to hit for the cycle since Leon Culberson did so on July 3, 1943. The last Red Sox player to hit for the cycle was John Valentin on June 6, 1996. … Over his last five games, Dustin Pedroia is hitting a blistering .565 (13-for-23) with four doubles. Over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .409 (18-for-44). … The Sox are 10-5 in their last 15 games and 14-8 since Aug. 14. They can go 30 games over .500 for the first time this season with a win tonight in the series finale.

smcadam@projo.com