Sox Notes: Okajima activated; Bowden optioned

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox today activated left-handed pitcher Hideki Okajima from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Michael Bowden to Triple-A Pawtucket.  Okajima will be active for tonight’s game in Tampa Bay.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Okajima, 34, has been on the disabled list since August 6 due to a right hamstring strain.  He made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Pawtucket, combining to give up 5 runs on six hits over 2.1 innings.  The left-hander has compiled a 4-3 record and a 5.85 ERA (21 ER/32.1 IP) with 24 strikeouts in 40 relief appearances with the Red Sox this season, becoming the first pitcher to begin his career with 40 or more relief outings for Boston in each of his first four Major League seasons since Dick Radatz did it from 1962-65.

The 23-year-old Bowden made three relief appearances with the Red Sox after being recalled from Pawtucket on August 14 and allowed four runs over 3.2 innings in those games.  In six relief outings overall with Boston in two stints with the club this season, he owns a 6.00 ERA (4 ER/6.0 IP) with six strikeouts.  Bowden is 6-3 with one save, a 3.62 ERA (41 ER/102.0 IP) and 74 strikeouts in 28 games (16 starts) with the PawSox in 2010.

Sox Notes: Rehabbing Red Sox key Pawtucket win

The PawSox scored five runs in the ninth inning to beat Rochester (MIN), 6-5, at Frontier Field on Friday night and two Major League rehabbers were key contributors to the win.

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and infielder Eric Patterson both began their rehab assignments with two-hit games. Saltalamacchia had two doubles, one in the eighth and ninth innings, while Patterson hit a double in the third and a single in the ninth.

Josh Reddick and Niuman Romero each had three hits for the PawSox. Reddick knocked in four of the Pawtucket runs and made it close with a three-run homer in the ninth. Ramon Ramirez, the reigning International League Pitcher of the Week, turned in a solid effort, but didn’t figure in the decision. He allowed three runs over six innings. T.J. Large earned his fourth win, pitching a scoreless eighth. Fernando Cabrera worked the ninth for his 18th save.

Sox Notes: Pedroia, waiver wire update

* A major league source is telling Nick Cafardo that second baseman Dustin Pedroia will likely be shut down for the remainder of the 2010 season. He is expected to spend the next 10 days back in a boot to stabilize the left foot that got sore again after two games. The doctors will have a better idea of whether surgery is necessary once the boot can come off. The word now is that the foot is healing, but just at a slower than expected pace.

* According to a major league source, the Red Sox placed Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Manny Delcarmen on trade waivers on Wednesday.

Sox Notes: Rotation shake-up

Daisuke Matsuzaka has a sore lower back and will not pitch in Tampa Bay on Friday as scheduled.

Jon Lester will make that start in his place, while Tim Wakefield got the spot start tonight.

Revised pitching match-ups this weekend:
Friday: Jon Lester vs. David Price
Saturday: Clay Buchholz vs. Matt Garza
Sunday: John Lackey vs. James Shields

Sox Notes: Cash activated, Brown optioned

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox today activated catcher Kevin Cash from the 15-day disabled list.  The club also announced that catcher Dusty Brown was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket following last night’s game.  Cash will be available for tonight’s game against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park.

The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Cash, 32, has been on the disabled list since August 11 (retroactive to August 9) due to a left hamstring strain.  He appeared in two rehab games between Triple-A Pawtucket and Short-A Lowell, going 2-for-8 (.250) with a double, RBI and run scored.  Acquired from the Houston Astros on July 1, Cash has gone 8-for-54 (.148) with a double, run and five walks in 20 games for the Red Sox in 2010.  He’s played all 20 games at catcher, including 17 starts.  Cash also appeared in 19 games behind the plate (18 starts) and pitched 1.0 inning for Houston this season, hitting .204 (11-for-54) with two home runs and four RBI. 

The 28-year-old Brown has appeared in one game with the Red Sox since he was recalled from Pawtucket on August 19, tallying a two-run double on August 20 against Toronto after entering the game as a defensive replacement at catcher.  In seven games overall with Boston in his two stints with the club this season, he is 3-for-12 (.250), catching in all seven contests including three starts.  Brown has hit .219 (47-for-215) with 16 doubles, seven home runs, 28 RBI, 30 runs and 26 walks in 64 games with the PawSox this season, appearing in 60 games behind the plate.

Sox Notes: Pedroia placed back on DL

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has been placed back on the 15-day disabled list. Shortstop Yamiaco Navarro was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to correspond the move. The Sox were mapping out a plan for Pedroia, who sat out last night’s game with a sore foot. He missed 44 games from June 26-August 17 recovering from a broken foot.

The press release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today placed second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to yesterday) with soreness in his previously fractured left foot and selected infielder Yamaico Navarro to the active Major League roster from Triple-A Pawtucket.  Navarro will be active for tonight’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, wearing No. 56. With today’s move, the Red Sox 40-man roster is now at 39.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Pedroia, 27, started at second base for the Red Sox against the Angels on both Tuesday and Wednesday, his first Major League action since being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left foot on June 26.  Named an All-Star for the third consecutive year in 2010, he has hit .288 (87-for-302) with 24 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 41 RBI and 53 runs in 75 games with Boston this season. 

For Navarro, 22, it is his first Major League stint.  The right-handed batter has combined to hit .275 (105-for-382) with 23 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 61 RBI, 57 runs, 47 walks and 18 stolen bases in 104 games between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket this season. Promoted to the PawSox on August 2 for his first experience at the Triple-A level, Navarro has compiled a .283 (15-for-53) average with three home runs and six RBI in 16 games with Pawtucket.  Between the two stops this season, he has combined to play 77 games at shortstop, 24 at third base and two at second base, posting a .961 fielding percentage overall (15 errors/384 total chances). Signed by Boston as an international free agent on September 23, 2005, Navarro has hit .281 (440-for-1,564) with 89 doubles, 17 triples, 36 home runs, 242 RBI and 228 runs in 411 minor league games in the Red Sox system.

Sox Notes: One more on the shelf

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has an infection of some sort and Dusty Brown was called up.

Saltalamacchia had a sore lower right leg yesterday and was sent over to Mass General to get it checked on.

Tests have ruled out the MRSA virus. They’re checking on staph now. He’s in the hospital hooked up to IV antibiotics.

Sox Notes: Up and down and Pedey and Ells

* Prior to tonight’s game, the Red Sox activated second baseman Dustin Pedroia from the 15-day disabled list, recalled outfielder Daniel Nava from Triple-A Pawtucket and placed infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to yesterday) with a neck strain. Pedroia had missed 44 games since being placed on the disabled list on June 26 due to a left foot fracture. He sustained the injury when he fouled a ball off his left foot in the top of the third inning on June 25 in San Francisco.

* This morning, ESPNBoston.com reported that center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is probably out for the remainder of the season. Tests administered in Los Angeles on Tuesday show that he has another fractured rib, according to an industry source. He was hurt in a collision with Texas pitcher Tommy Hunter in the first inning Friday, was placed on the disabled list for the third time this season the next day.

Sox Notes: Ellsbury re-injures ribs; Bowden recalled

The Boston Red Sox today placed outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury on the 15-day disabled list due to re-injury to his fractured ribs and recalled right-handed pitcher Michael Bowden from Triple-A Pawtucket.  Bowden will be active for tonight’s game in Texas, wearing No. 64.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Ellsbury, 26, re-injured the fractured ribs during last night’s game in Texas.  He has appeared in 18 games with the Red Sox overall this season, going 15-for-78 (.192) with four doubles, five RBI, 10 runs and four walks.  On August 9 in New York, he tied the club’s single-game record with four stolen bases and has seven overall on the year.  This is Ellsbury’s third stint on the disabled list in 2010, also April 20 (retroactive to April 12) through May 21 and May 28 through August 3. 

The 23-year-old Bowden will be in his second stint with Boston this season after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings over three relief outings with the Red Sox from July 18-21.  In 28 games (16 starts) with the PawSox in 2010, he has gone 6-3 with one save, a 3.62 ERA (41 ER/102.0 IP), 74 strikeouts and 34 walks, and has held opponents to a .221 clip (81-for-367), third best among International League leaders.  Bowden has made each of his last 12 appearances with Pawtucket out of the bullpen, going 2-0 with one save, a 2.81 ERA (5 ER/16.0 IP) and 15 strikeouts.

Sox Notes: Saltalamacchia recalled, Cash to DL

The Boston Red Sox today recalled catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Triple-A Pawtucket and placed catcher Kevin Cash on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain.  Saltalamacchia will be active for tonight’s game in Toronto and will wear No. 39.

The 25-year-old was acquired by the Red Sox from the Texas Rangers on July 31 and has appeared in five games for the PawSox, going 5-for-21 (.238) with three doubles, two RBI, three runs and two walks.  He’s played four games at catcher and one at first base, throwing out two of three attempted base stealers while behind the plate.

Cash was acquired from the Houston Astros on July 1 and has gone 8-for-54 (.148) with a double, run and five walks in 20 games for the Red Sox.  He’s played all 20 games at catcher, including 17 starts.