"The short-lived Carlos Delgado experiment is over for the Red Sox.

Delgado, who signed a minor league contract last month with the hope of being a left-handed-hitting complement to fill-in first baseman Mike Lowell, has a tear in his left hip, according to his agent. Delgado, who was seen by Dr. Marc Phillipon on Wednesday in Vail, Colo., is expected to rejoin Triple-A Pawtucket and begin reviewing treatment options. Surgery isn't being ruled out.

"He's extremely disappointed," Delgado's agent David Sloane said by phone yesterday. "It would be tough for a human being to not be disappointed. He wouldn't be human if he wasn't very upset about it."

Delgado, 38, hasn't played in the majors since May 2009 after undergoing two surgeries on his right hip, including a labrum repair that was similar to Lowell's procedure after the 2008 season. Delgado began feeling discomfort in his left hip a few weeks ago after only five games with Pawtucket and hasn't played since Aug. 15.

"He felt fine when he signed," Sloane said. "He was playing. He was headed in the right direction. All of a sudden, he felt pain there.""