Red Sox place Left-Handed Pitcher Craig Breslow on Paternity Leave List

BOSTON, MA - The Boston Red Sox today placed left-handed pitcher Craig Breslow on the paternity leave list. To fill his spot on the 25-man roster, right-handed pitcher Heath Hembree was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. Hembree will be active for tonight's game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park beginning at 7:10 p.m.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Breslow, 34, has no record and a 4.03 ERA (10 ER/22.1 IP) with 18 strikeouts in 18 relief appearances for the Red Sox this season. His 22.1 innings pitched rank third in the Boston bullpen and 12^th among AL left-handed relievers. In his major league career, he is 22-23 with seven saves and a 3.23 ERA (172 ER/478.2 IP) in 497 outings, all in relief, with the San Diego Padres (2005), Red Sox (2006, 2012-15), Cleveland Indians (2008), Minnesota Twins (2008-09), Oakland Athletics (2009-11), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2012).

For Hembree, 26, this is his third major league stint of the season, over which he has allowed six runs with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings (23.14 ERA) spanning two relief appearances. In 18 outings for Pawtucket this season, all out of the bullpen, he is 0-2 with seven saves and an 0.83 ERA (2 ER/21.2 IP), fanning 20 batters while allowing just 13 hits and two walks. Over parts of three major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2013) and Red Sox (2014-15), Hembree has no record, a 4.95 ERA (11 ER/20.0 IP), and 21 strikeouts in 17 games. He was acquired by Boston along with left-handed pitcher Edwin Escobar via trade with the Giants in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jake Peavy and cash considerations on July 26, 2014.