Red Sox announce roster moves

BOSTON, MA -- The Boston Red Sox today announced the following roster moves:

• Outfielder Yoenis Céspedes and outfielder/first baseman Allen Craig were added to the active major league roster.
• Outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts, left-handed pitcher Tommy Layne, right-handed pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, and right-handed pitcher Alex Wilson were recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. 
• Third baseman Will Middlebrooks was activated from the 15-day disabled list.
• Outfielder Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 31) due to a lower back strain.
• First baseman/outfielder Mike Carp was designated for assignment.

Betts, Cespedes (wearing no. 52), Craig (No. 5), Layne, Middlebrooks, Ranaudo (No. 63), and Wilson (No. 30) will all be active for tonight's series opener against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park beginning at 7:10 p.m.

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

Ranaudo, scheduled to start tonight's game, begins his first career major league stint. He will be the first Red Sox pitcher to debut with a start against the Yankees since Robinson Checo did it in the second game of a doubleheader on September 16, 1997. 

The 24-year-old Ranaudo is 12-4 with a 2.41 ERA in 21 starts for Pawtucket this season, with 99 strikeouts compared to 88 hits and 49 walks allowed in 119.1 innings pitched. He has held opponents to a .205 batting average this season, the lowest mark among International League qualifiers. His 2.41 ERA leads Red Sox farmhands and ranks second in the league. A 2014 mid-season International League All-Star, the native of Freehold, NJ also tops the IL in wins and ranks third in WHIP (1.15). 

Last season, Ranaudo pitched for Team USA in the 2013 All-Star Futures Game and was named the Double-A Eastern League's 2013 Pitcher of the Year after going 11-5 with a 2.96 ERA (46 ER/140.0 IP) in 25 games (24 starts) while pitching primarily with the Sea Dogs. Signed as a supplemental round selection in the 2010 June Draft, he is 33-18 with a 3.44 ERA (162 ER/424.0 IP) and 370 strikeouts in 81 career minor league outings, including 80 starts.

Middlebrooks, 25, had been on the disabled list since May 17 with a fractured right index finger. He played a total of 26 games with Triple-A Pawtucket on rehab and went 11-for-48 (.229) with three home runs, four RBI, two walks, and seven runs over 12 games on his most recent stint, which began on July 18. This was Middlebrooks' second stint on the disabled list this season after missing 19 games from April 5-19 due to a right calf strain. In 21 games for Boston this year, all starts at third base, he has hit .197 (14-for-71) with three doubles, two home runs, and nine RBI.  

Betts, 21, returns for a second major league stint this season. In 10 games for the Red Sox from June 28-July 18, he hit .235 (8-for-34) with two doubles, one home run, two RBI, and five runs scored, while playing six games in right field (5 starts) and four games in center field (all starts). In 88 minor league games this season between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket, the right-handed batter has hit .342 (120-for-351), ninth best among all full-season minor leaguers. He has combined for 23 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, 30 stolen bases, and 55 walks. Since joining the PawSox, he has batted .321 with 12 extra-base hits (5 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers) and 24 RBI in 34 games. A fifth-round selection in the 2011 June Draft, Betts was named to the 2014 XM Sirius Futures All-Star Game.

Layne, 29, returns for a second stint with the Red Sox this year after allowing one walk in 0.2 scoreless innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Orioles on July 5. With Pawtucket this season, he is 5-1 with 11 saves, a 1.50 ERA (8 ER/48.0 IP), and 53 strikeouts. He has the fourth-best opponent average among International League relievers (.173, 29-for-168). Signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in November 2013, he is 2-2 with two saves, a 2.77 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and 19 hits allowed in 26.0 innings over 41 career major league games between the San Diego Padres (2012-13) and Red Sox (2014), all in relief.

For Wilson, 27, this is his fourth stint with the Red Sox in 2014. He has allowed one run over 3.0 innings (3.00 ERA) in two relief outings with Boston this season (3.00 ERA) and has made 33 appearances out of the bullpen for Pawtucket, going 4-1 with a 4.23 ERA (18 ER/38.1 IP) and 38 strikeouts. A second-round selection by the Red Sox in the 2009 June Draft, Wilson has appeared in 28 major league games, all since the start of 2013, going 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA (16 ER/30.2 IP) and 24 strikeouts. 

Victorino, 33, sustained the lower back strain in Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. This will mark his third stint on the disabled list in 2014, after twice missing time with a right hamstring injury. In 30 games for Boston this season, he has batted .268 (33-for-123) with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, 12 RBI, and 14 runs scored.

In 42 games for the Red Sox this season, Carp hit .198 (17-for-86) with five doubles, one triple, nine RBI, and 11 walks. The 28-year-old made 29 starts and appeared primarily at first base (20 games) and left field (12 games), while also making his pro debut at third base (1 game) and pitcher (1 game). He is a lifetime .260 hitter (220-for-847) with 51 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs, and 123 RBI in 301 career major league games with the Seattle Mariners (2009-12) and Red Sox (2013-14).