Victorino placed on DL with hamstring strain

BALTIMORE -- The Red Sox placed outfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled and recalled right-hander Matt Barnes from Triple-A Pawtucket prior to Saturday's game with the Orioles.

Victorino suffered a hamstring strain earlier this week, and the Red Sox decided to make this move to help a bullpen that manager John Farrell wants to keep fresh. Farrell said Victorino is doing well, but the pitching should get some help.

"I felt like we needed to add another arm in the bullpen," Farrell said Saturday. "Just with the number of innings that we've been going to out there and with this lineup and Toronto coming, for the short run, we'll go with an additional pitcher."

Barnes was 0-0 with a 5.62 ERA at Pawtucket this season. He made his Major League debut last season with Boston, pitching five games in relief with no record. He's been a starter, and Farrell said that should help the Red Sox get some more innings out of the right-hander, who last pitched five days ago and was scheduled to start today.

Farrell said he has needed to use the bullpen a lot lately, like calling on Junichi Tazawa four times in the last five days, and wants to stay away from that. Therefore, adding an arm is the best move.

This does leave Farrell with a short bench, three players including a backup catcher, cutting down on his options. But the skipper said the players on his bench are versatile, which can give him some room to maneuver.

"Not ideal, but given the situation, we feel like another arm is needed right now," he said.