Before last night’s exhibition game, the Red Sox enter Los Angeles Coliseum for the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the Dodgers’ move from Brooklyn 50 years ago.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

LOS ANGELES — Bobby Kielty was in left field for the Red Sox last night at the Los Angeles Coliseum, in part to recognize the outfielder’s University of Southern California roots.

When the Sox resume their season Tuesday in Oakland, however, Kielty will be headed to Pawtucket, where he will begin the 2008 season.

Kielty signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox over the winter in the hopes that the team would resolve its overcrowded outfield situation and have him as its fourth outfielder.

But a groin injury and a slow-to-develop trade market for Coco Crisp has left Kielty as the odd-man out — for now. Kielty’s deal included an “out” clause that enables him to elect free agency if he didn’t start the season on the big-league roster.

Kielty has elected not to take advantage of the option, in part because the Red Sox have been honest with him about his status since the start of spring training.

“There’s been a lot of communication,” said manager Terry Francona before last night’s exhibition game with the Dodgers. “I’ve talked to him a lot and so has [GM] Theo [Epstein]. And Theo has talked to his representatives.”

Kielty has another unspecified “out” in his deal during the season — thought to be sometime in May — if he’s not in the majors. By then, the Sox expect that either a worthwhile deal for Crisp will materialize, or injuries will create a roster opening.

Keeping ’em sharp

The Sox were planning to get some work for their bullpen regulars last night.

Expected to follow Tim Wakefield were Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon. Francona was then anticipating getting work for other veterans today back at Dodger Stadium, including Kyle Snyder, Bryan Corey and Javier Lopez.

Clay Buchholz is this afternoon’s starter.

Drew almost there

Francona was hopeful that J.D. Drew would take batting practice last night and be available for an at-bat or two today in the exhibition finale.

Asked about the possibility that Drew could miss today and simply be inserted into the lineup Tuesday in Oakland, without having been in a game in more than a week, Francona said: “I’m not going to say we’re not going to do it. He’s a good player — we’d like to have him in there. He was swinging the bat great before [he got hurt].”

There’s no rush

The medical staff was planning to remove the stitches from Mike Timlin’s ring finger today.

Timlin was placed on the disabled list Friday night, retroactive to March 20. That would make him eligible to come off the DL Friday in Toronto in time for the weekend series with the Blue Jays, but because he hasn’t thrown since before the team left for Japan, he might not be activated until the team returns to Fenway for the home opener on April 8.

Around the bases

Bartolo Colon, who looked sharp Friday night at Dodgers Stadium in four innings of work — one run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk — will throw a side session tomorrow in Oakland, then fly home to Boston on Tuesday in preparation for his start Thursday in Pawtucket. … The PawSox will host Indianapolis in their International League opener at McCoy. … Before last night, the biggest crowd ever to watch a Red Sox game came in 1938, when the Sox lost to a doubleheader to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Some 83,533 were on hand as the Yanks won 10-0 and 5-4. …Catcher Jason Varitek, who got the night off with Wakefield pitching, had gone 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts in the previous three games. David Ortiz, meanwhile, was trying to snap out of an 0-for-13 skid.

smcadam@projo.com