Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo suffers strained oblique

Rusney Castillo had some pain in his side after Tuesday's exhibition game against Boston College, and it turns out that it's an actual injury. Castillo has strained his oblique, and according to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo, he's expected to miss a week because of it.

With a week for a recovery timetable, it sounds like it's a minor strain. When you consider injuries are treated very carefully in the spring just to make sure nothing worse comes from them, it's probably even more minor than that. That's comforting news, as while the Red Sox have plenty of outfield depth, there is no rush or desire to test just how useful it can be.

Castillo is fighting for outfield time with Mookie Betts and Shane Victorino this spring. While the latter will play right field exclusively, both Betts and Castillo could play some games in right, and one or the other will likely end up with a majority of the playing time in center. If Victorino ends up traded before the spring ends, it will be because the Sox want both Castillo and Betts playing every day out of the gate. Consider this minor injury a reminder of why the Sox don't want to move Victorino earlier than they have to, though.