CLEVELAND -- A day after the slumping Matt Barnes endured more struggles in the Red Sox's 5-4 loss to the Indians, the right-hander was placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday with a lower back strain.
To take his spot, the Red Sox recalled righty Hector Velazquez from Triple-A Pawtucket.
"It's something I've dealt with a decent amount last year and this year on and off," said Barnes. "I came in today and it felt more tight than normal. That's where we're at."
Barnes entered Tuesday's game tied for fifth in MLB with 59 appearances. Perhaps the rest will do him some good. Barnes has been scored on in three of his last five appearances, giving up eight hits and four runs over four innings.
"I'm not going to make excuses for not throwing the ball well over the last week because of anything other than some inconsistencies and being in a bit of a funk," said Barnes. "We're going to push forward with it, get it better, get it right and get ready to make that push in September."
Barnes is 6-3 with a 3.60 ERA this season. The 27-year-old has racked up 66 strikeouts in 60 innings while holding opponents to a .210 batting average.
"Hopefully this is a 10-day deal," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "We've got to address the back first."
Velazquez is 2-1 with a 4.08 ERA in four games (two starts) for the Red Sox this year. He has yet to allow a run in 7 1/3 innings as a reliever with the club. The 28-year-old hurler is 7-4 with a 2.39 ERA in 17 starts for Pawtucket this season.
Worth noting
• It was another productive work day back in Boston for left-hander David Price (left elbow inflammation) and second baseman Dustin Pedroia (left knee inflammation). Price threw for the second straight day, stretching out to 90 feet.
"Pedey, talking to him live, is champing at the bit. Running on the treadmill up to 12 miles an hour in kind of a sprinting type workout, that was all tolerated well," said Farrell. "The work to date that he's been putting in the last few days, there's been no additional swelling or irritation of any kind. As he moves into this functional phase, putting him in fielding position, changing directions, accelerating, all that has been really good."
• Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski celebrated his 78th birthday on Tuesday. Yaz, who won the American League's Triple Crown in 1967, was at Fenway Park last week taking part in the 50-year celebration of Boston's Impossible Dream squad.
"It was just, everyone down the stretch on that team contributed. It was like somebody different every day," Yaz said last week. "And that's what it takes to win a pennant. And we were very fortunate that we had 25 guys and all of them contributed."