Travis called up from Pawtucket

BOSTON — The Red Sox have called up their most talented Triple-A prospect, first baseman Sam Travis.

Right-hander Hector Velazquez was optioned back to Pawtucket.

Travis will likely start at first against left-handed pitchers. The Red Sox face a southpaw in Martin Perez on Wednesday, and Boston is slated to face a few more in upcoming series. Mitch Moreland, signed to platoon at first baseman, has played in all but one game this season because recurring shoulder soreness has prevented Hanley Ramirez from taking the field.

Travis has hit .414 with a .485 on-base percentage and .724 slugging percentage against southpaws this season.

A second-round pick out of Indiana in 2014, Travis has hit at every level in the minor leagues.

That includes a scorching May in Triple-A, bouncing back from a slow April likely influenced by some rust. Travis missed the final three months of last season with a torn ACL.

“It hasn’t even been a year since surgery and I feel fantastic,” Travis said. “I try not to think about it too much, but that’s definitely pretty awesome.”

Travis is batting .333 with a .389 on-base percentage in May, including going 5-for-6 on Thursday.

“You’re going to go through your ups and downs, but you stick to your approach and stick to your plan,” he said. “Try to get better every day and help the team win. That’s how you’ve got to do it.”

Travis has posted an OPS of .800 or better in all but one of his minor-league seasons, with his abbreviated 2016 the lone exception.

His bat isn’t a question as much as his glove.

“[He’s] improving, and yet, that’s still a work in progress. We know that,” manager John Farrell said.

Travis’ first call-up to the majors brings with it the emotion one would expect.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Travis said. “It’s something you’ve been working for your whole life. It’s pretty amazing. I can’t put it into words.”

Surgery for Hernandez

Marco Hernandez’s season is likely over, with the infielder scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery on Friday at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Hernandez has been on the disabled list with a left shoulder subluxation since injuring it on May 3. His prior history with similar injuries has encouraged the Red Sox to attempt a longer-term fix for the problem.

Hernandez entered this season as depth in case of an injury to Pablo Sandoval or Brock Holt.

When both of those players went down, Hernandez received some regular playing time at third, where he struggled defensively.

Holt to see specialist

Holt was taken off his rehab assignment for the second time, as the Red Sox do not believe the infielder will be ready by his May 26 deadline to be activated.

Holt has been out since April 21 with vertigo. He will visit concussion specialist Micky Collins in Pittsburgh, with whom he worked last season.

Sandoval wasn’t in the Pawtucket lineup on Tuesday because of illness. The Red Sox still want to see Sandoval play a pair of nine-inning games in the field on consecutive days before activating him to the major-league roster.

Likely starter

With Velazquez sent down, Brian Johnson is the likeliest candidate to start for the Red Sox on Saturday.

Boston can skip the fifth spot in the rotation on Wednesday, but it needs a fifth man for Saturday’s game against the Mariners.

Velazquez is ineligible to return to the major-league roster for 10 days, and Farrell called Johnson “a strong candidate” to make that start.

Johnson won his only big-league start this season in Toronto on April 18.