TORONTO - Boston's Wily Mo Pena will have surgery on his left wrist Thursday and manager Terry Francona said the outfielder could miss about two months.
Boston also placed left-hander David Wells on the disabled list for the third time this season and called up right-hander David Pauley to pitch in his place Wednesday night at Toronto.
Pena underwent an examination and tests Tuesday that showed an injury to the hamate bone, a small bone in the wrist. He bats and throws right-handed, so he can continue his conditioning while he recovers, team medical director Dr. Thomas Gill said.
Francona said doctors will remove the bone, which doesn't serve much of a purpose.
"It's been bothering him for a while. He felt it last year," said Francona, adding that David Ortiz had a similar operation.
Pena was the primary replacement for Coco Crisp in center field while Crisp missed 42 games with a broken finger. Crisp returned to the lineup on Sunday, the same day Pena went on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Saturday. Pena is hitting .321 with four homers and 18 RBIss in 36 games after being obtained in spring training from Cincinnati for right-hander Bronson Arroyo.
Wells, who also went on the disabled list retroactive to Saturday, sustained a bruise below his right knee when he was hit by Travis Lee's line drive last Friday night against Tampa Bay. Wells had offseason surgery on that knee and began the season on the 15-day disabled list. He was activated before the eighth game of the year and was the losing pitcher April 12 in an 8-4 loss to Toronto.
Wells returned to the disabled list two days later with a sprained knee, then was activated before last Friday's game. Tests showed no serious injury after he was struck Friday, but Wells experienced soreness Monday while throwing on flat ground.
Before getting hurt, he allowed one run and five hits in 4 1-3 innings against the Devil Rays. In two appearances for Boston, Wells is 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA.
Pauley, who has spent the season at Double-A Portland, was scheduled to make his major league debut Wednesday night.
He was 2-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 10 starts for Portland with 47 strikeouts and 16 walks in 60 1-3 innings. Pauley, who has never pitched above Double-A, was obtained by Boston on Dec. 20, 2004, in a trade that sent outfielder Dave Roberts to San Diego. Last year, Pauley was 9-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 27 starts for Portland.