Red Sox announce roster moves
BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today placed second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 4) with a right thumb sprain and selected infielder Pedro Ciriaco to the active Major League roster from Triple-A Pawtucket. To make room for Ciriaco on the 40-man roster, the club transferred left-handed pitcher Rich Hill to the 60-day disabled list. Ciriaco will be active for tonight’s game against the Yankees at Fenway Park, wearing No. 77.
The Red Sox also today activated outfielder Scott Podsednik from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Pawtucket.
The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.
Pedroia, 28, has played in 74 games with the Red Sox this year and hit .266 (81-for-305) with 19 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 33 RBI, 41 runs, 26 walks and six stolen bases. He has batted at a .302 clip (13-for-43) with seven RBI over his last 11 games, hitting safely in eight of those contests. Selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Pedroia is a three-time American League All-Star, the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year and 2008 AL MVP, and has hit .301 (943-for-3,130) with 225 doubles, 10 triples, 81 home runs, 377 RBI, 520 runs, 327 walks and 88 stolen bases in 789 career Major League games.
Ciriaco, 26, has hit .301 (83-for-276) with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 21 RBI, 41 runs, six walks and 14 stolen bases in 64 games with the PawSox this year while appearing at shortstop (37 games), second base (23), third base (3) and designated hitter (1). The right-handed batter ranks 10th in the International League in average and hit at a .325 clip (37-for-114) in 25 games in June, including a team season-best 16-game hit streak from June 2-21. Signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in December, Ciriaco made his Major League debut with Pittsburgh in 2010 and hit .333 (13-for-39) with three doubles, two triples, seven RBI, seven runs, one walk and two stolen bases in 31 career Major League games with the Pirates over the 2010-11 seasons. He has played in eight Major League games at shortstop (4 starts), two at third base and two in left field.
The 32-year-old Hill has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 10 (retroactive to June 9) with a left elbow strain. He has gone 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA (4 ER/13.2 IP) in 17 relief appearances with the Red Sox this year. Hill had started the season on the 15-day disabled list while recovering from Tommy John surgery, performed June 9, 2011, and was activated on April 27. Signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent on June 30, 2010, the left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA (4 ER/25.2 IP) in 32 games out of the bullpen with Boston. In 110 career Major League appearances (70 starts) between the Cubs (2005-08), Orioles (2009) and Red Sox (2010-12), Hill owns a 23-20 record with a 4.66 ERA (218 ER/421.0 IP) and 381 strikeouts.
Podsednik, 36, has been on the disabled list since June 19 (retroactive to June 18) with a left groin strain and appeared in four rehab games with Triple-A Pawtucket from June 29-July 3. Prior to the DL stint, he hit .387 (24-for-62) with three doubles, a home run, seven RBI, nine runs, two walks, six stolen bases and four sacrifice hits in 19 games with Boston after his selection to the Major League roster on May 22. Acquired by the Red Sox from the Phillies on May 11, he began the season with 32 Triple-A games between the two organizations. Podsednik owns a career .281 average (1,060-for-3,769) with 174 doubles, 41 triples, 42 home runs, 553 runs, 329 walks and 307 stolen bases in 1,035 Major League games with the Mariners (2001-02), Brewers (2003-04), White Sox (2005-07, 2009), Rockies (2008), Royals (2010), Dodgers (2010) and Red Sox (2012).