BOSTON (AP) – Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra will test his ailing right Achilles’ tendon on Tuesday before the team decides if he can make his 2004 debut against the San Diego Padres.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said Monday that he was not ready to activate the All-Star shortstop from the disabled list.

“He worked out today and everything went fine. We have nothing to announce at this time,” Epstein said in a conference call to discuss the team’s draft choices. “We’re very, very close. But we’re not there yet.”

Garciaparra had just eight spring training at-bats – and no hits – when he fouled a ball off his right heel on March 17. Although the team initially expected him back for opening day, he did not play in another game until last week, when he began a rehab assignment in Triple-A.

He was 5-for-12 for Pawtucket in five games against Louisville and Toledo, homering in his last at-bat on Saturday. Epstein noted that 20 at-bats is not a lot to get a player ready after the winter.

Garciaparra was scheduled to meet with the team’s doctors on Monday, an off day for the Red Sox.

“We’re just going to see how he feels tomorrow,” Epstein said. “It’s not necessarily going to happen tomorrow. It’s going to be when he’s 100 percent ready.”

The two-time AL batting champ and five-time All-Star is making $11.5 million in the final year of his contract. Last offseason, the Red Sox tried to obtain shortstop Alex Rodriguez from Texas for Manny Ramirez, a deal that probably would have led them to trade Garciaparra to open a spot for Rodriguez.

The Red Sox gave up their first-round pick in Monday’s draft when they signed free agent Keith Foulke in the offseason. With their top pick, the 65th overall, they selected Arizona State shortstop Dustin Pedroia.

Pedroia, a career .383 hitter in college, has been compared by scouts to Anaheim Angels sparkplug David Eckstein.

“I’m sure Dustin would take that as a compliment,” Epstein said. “David is a great player, but Dustin is really his own guy.”

The Red Sox used their next four picks on pitchers: lefthanders Andrew Dobies of Virginia and Thomas Hottovy from Wichita State, and righthanders Ryan Schroyer from San Diego State and Olise Meredith from Virginia Commonwealth.

AP-ES-06-07-04 2000EDT