April 9, 2014 at 9:30 AM
Breslow activated; Workman optioned to Pawtucket
The Red Sox announced a roster move Wednesday morning. The team has activated left-handed reliever Craig Breslow and optioned righty Brandon Workman (pictured) to Triple-A Pawtucket. Breslow resumes his place as the top lefty in the Boston bullpen, the role he held in 2013. After breaking camp in the Boston bullpen, Workman is projected to be stretched out as a starter with the PawSox.
Workman's move comes the day after saving the major league bullpen with a strong four-inning outing in which he allowed just one run on two hits, striking out three without walking a batter. Overall, the 25-year-old has appeared in three games in the early part of the season, allowing just the one run in 6 1/3 innings. Twenty of Workman's 23 major league appearances have been out of the bullpen, but he is expected to join the Pawtucket rotation, a role the former Texas Longhorn has been used in almost exclusively during his minor league development. Since being selected in the second round of the 2010 draft, Workman has a 3.50 ERA and very impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 4.0.
Currently rated the ninth-best prospect in the Boston system by SoxProspects.com, Workman has been chosen as an All-Star by the site's community in each of the past two seasons, and was selected as the top Swingman in the 2014 preseason voting.
Breslow returns to the major league club after making three rehab appearances in Triple-A while recovering from a mild shoulder strain. The lefty played a key role in Boston's 2013 World Series run, posting a 1.81 ERA in 61 appearances out of the bullpen and earning the win in the decisive Game 4 of the ALDS against Tampa Bay.
Photo Credit: Brandon Workman by Kelly O'Connor