The Boston Red Sox today recalled left-handed pitcher Roenis Elias from Triple-A Pawtucket. To make room for him on the 25-man roster, right-handed pitcher William Cuevas was optioned to Pawtucket following yesterday's game versus Tampa Bay.
Red Sox President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski made the announcement.
Elias, 27, joins the Red Sox for his first major league stint of the season. Acquired by Boston along with right-hander Carson Smith in a trade with the Seattle Mariners this past December, Elias began 2016 in Pawtucket's starting rotation. In his two starts for the PawSox, he has gone 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA (4 ER/9.1 IP) with nine strikeouts. He most recently appeared on April 17 at Buffalo and did not factor into the decision, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings. For his major league career, Elias, a native of Guantanamo, Cuba, has gone 15-20 with a 3.97 ERA (123 ER/279.0 IP) and 240 strikeouts in 51 games (49 starts), all for the Mariners (2014-15).
Cuevas, 25, made his major league debut in yesterday's game against the Rays. The Venezuelan native went 2.1 innings with two runs allowed on three hits with two walks issued and was charged with the loss. Cuevas will rejoin Pawtucket where he has gone 1-1 with a 6.17 ERA (8 ER/11.2 IP) in two starts this year. In his most recent outing for the PawSox on April 15 at Lehigh Valley, the right-hander earned the win after allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings with one walk and four strikeouts. Cuevas, a non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training this year, was originally signed by Boston as an international free agent on July 2, 2008.