NEW YORK — According to a major league source, the Red Sox were simply “doing their homework” by holding a workout for first baseman Carlos Delgado in New York on Friday. Delgado has not played since May 2009, when hip surgery sidelined him for the remainder of a season that he started by hitting .298 with a .914 OPS and four homers in 26 games for the Mets.

Delgado has been out of pro ball in the States this year, but he has been talking to teams in hopes of finding a fit for the rest of the year. While the Sox are exploring the market for left-handed hitting first basemen who might make complement the right-handed Mike Lowell (who has his own hip issues), Delgado’s own physical limitations might make him an imperfect match. Even so, that is a question that the Sox are at least willing to consider, leading them to watch the first baseman’s workout on Friday.