BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today claimed right-handed pitcher Phillips Valdez off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox placed second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 60-day injured list.

Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Valdez, 28, saw the first action of his major league career with the Texas Rangers last season and posted a 3.94 ERA (7 ER/16.0 IP) with nine walks and 18 strikeouts over 11 appearances, all in relief. The right-hander made his big league debut with 2.0 scoreless innings on June 8 against the Oakland A’s and posted a 1.35 ERA over his first five games. Following the season, in November, Valdez was claimed off waivers by Seattle from Texas.

A native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Valdez was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent. Over his professional career, he has posted a 38-34 record with 11 saves, a 3.76 ERA (290 ER/694.0 IP), 279 walks, and 535 strikeouts in 226 games (96 starts) between stops in the Indians (2009-10), Washington Nationals (2012-18), Rangers (2019), and Mariners minor league systems. Valdez was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as a minor league free agent in December of 2010, but did not appear in a game during the 2011 season before being released in May.

Pedroia, 36, began the 2019 season on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation. He appeared in three rehab games with Single-A Greenville before being reinstated on April 9, making two starts with Boston at second base and two as a designated hitter. Pedroia returned to the 10-day injured list on April 19 (retroactive to April 18) with left knee irritation and played in 11 rehab games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in May. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 27 and missed the remainder of the season.

Pedroia has spent his entire 16-year professional career in the Red Sox organization since being selected by the club in the second round of the 2004 June Draft. A three-time World Series champion (2007, ’13, ’18), he has batted .299 (1,805-for-6,031) with a .365 on-base percentage, 140 home runs, 394 doubles, 725 RBI, 922 runs scored, and 138 stolen bases in 1,512 games.