Nick Punto will miss the Red Sox' next two Grapefruit League games due to mild soreness in his back. They're both road contests, and the Red Sox don't want put Punto through two long bus trips. "Five hours on a bus isn't necessarily exactly the program we want him on," manager Bobby Valentine told reporters Tuesday. Punto is a lock for a utility infield job this season after agreeing to a two-year, $3 million contract in December.