BOSTON (AP) – Alan Embree’s disappointing season took another bad turn Saturday when Boston’s lefty reliever was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder injury.

Embree is expected to be ready to pitch when he’s eligible to be activated on April 24, team physician Dr. Bill Morgan said.

The Red Sox called up 32-year-old lefty Kevin Tolar from Pawtucket of the International League. He’s spent 61 days in the majors and was 6-1 with a 2.54 ERA for Pittsburgh’s Triple-A team in Nashville last year.

Embree was put on the disabled list retroactive to April 9, the day after he allowed two runs in 1 2-3 innings of the Red Sox’s 8-4 loss in Toronto when his ERA climbed to 12.27 in four appearances.

He said he felt discomfort in his left shoulder when he threw before Boston’s next game. Morgan said Embree has tendinitis in the rotator cuff and biceps of his left arm but no structural damage.

Embree said he never experienced that sensation before.

“That’s kind of what spooked me the most about it. In 15 years, I haven’t felt that,” he said. “Everything is going through your head, thinking, is this the big one? Is this the big rehab?”

He found out Friday that he wouldn’t need a long rehabilitation and began that process Saturday.

In his first three games, Embree allowed three runs without retiring a batter, two hits and no runs in one inning and a walk and no runs in one inning.

The entire bullpen has struggled with a 6.81 ERA.

“For the way everything’s been happening with the bullpen, we’ve taken a lot of heat and you want something positive to come out of this,” Embree said. “For this to happen right now, it’s a blow. It puts more pressure on my teammates right now and it puts more pressure on Kevin.”

The Red Sox acquired Embree last June 23 from San Diego, where he was 3-4 with a 0.94 ERA in 36 appearances. With Boston, he was 1-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 32 games. Combined, he was 4-6 with a 2.03 ERA.

Morgan said the injury isn’t related to the elbow tendinitis Embree had last year. But, after the Red Sox home opener was rained out Saturday afternoon for the second time, he warned against pitching in bad weather.

“This weather does not help at all. It’s hard to get loose and you start throwing when you’re tight,” Morgan said. “These guys are going to get into trouble.”

AP-ES-04-12-03 1614EDT