Boston placed RHP Pedro Martinez on the disabled list yesterday, retroactive to May 16th. Martinez felt pain in his back while playing catch on the 19th, causing the Red Sox to hold him out of his scheduled May 20th start against the Yankees. He believed he was making progress after resting for four days, but when he threw on Saturday, he still felt some discomfort. Consequently, Boston felt that he likely wouldn't be able to make a start until next weekend. Therefore, they chose to place him on the disabled list with the intention of adding another reliever to the roster to compensate for the fact that LHP Bruce Chen is taking Martinez's spot in the rotation. He will be eligible to leave the DL on Saturday, and provided he doesn't suffer a setback, he's expected to rejoin the team and make a start in Toronto.

The Red Sox have not yet filled Martinez's roster spot, but they are expected activate LHP Matt White from the DL today or tomorrow. Cleveland drafted White out of Clemson University with their 15th round pick of the 1998 draft. He worked his way slowly through their system, working almost exclusively as a starter until last year when he moved to relief at AA Akron in the Eastern League with a brief stint at AAA Buffalo in the International League. However, Boston snatched him from the Indians in the 2002 Rule 5 draft.

White strained an oblique during Spring Training, allowing the Red Sox to place him on the disabled list to start the season. While White's injury has more credibility than many that have supposedly afflicted fellow Rule 5 picks, Boston has stretched out the 25-year-old's rehab in order to give him a little more minor league experience before adding him to their staff. Cleveland is expected to take him back if Boston attempts to send him down through waivers, but given the Red Sox's race for the division title, he'll need to hold his own in the Boston pen to stay on the roster. His strikeout rates in the minors have been solid, but he has struggled with his control. We support using the Rule 5 draft for talent acquisition, however White doesn't have the upside to justify rostering him on a playoff contender if he isn't pitching effectively, so I won't object if Boston sends him back to the Indians.

The Red Sox claimed Chen off waivers from Houston in early May, hoping to upgrade on the performance LHP Kevin Tolar was providing. Hopefully, the American League will show a greater appreciation for his talents than the NL has shown. I'm a bit surprised that they felt his arm was sufficiently stretched to handle a start. However, since Martinez isn't expected to be out long, I understand why they didn't chose to call up one of the starters they have stashed at AAA, only to have that pitcher disappear on waivers when the Red Sox had to send him down a week later.

In his first spot start, Chen completed 4 innings with only 66 pitches, allowing 4 H, 1 HR, and 2 ER with a 2:1 K:BB and keeping Boston in the game, so they could eventually defeat the Yankees. I'm sure the Red Sox would be happy with a repeat performance, though he should be able to stay out a little longer. Once Martinez returns to the rotation, Chen will move back to the pen where he was establishing himself as one of Boston's more effective relievers. His presence as a long lefty may prompt the Red Sox to limit LHP Alan Embree to the specialist role in which he dominates.

Boston demoted Tolar to make room for Chen on the roster. Tolar only appeared in six games while with the Red Sox, providing them with solid five solid performances and ruining his numbers with one horrible outing in Texas. If they keep White around, the Red Sox probably won't have a need for Tolar before September, but he's a decent pitcher when needed.

Though they risk losing him on waivers or having him reject a minor league assignment, Boston probably will demote RHP Rudy Seanez when Martinez returns from the disabled list. Seanez began the season on the Rangers' disabled list, but shortly after they activated him from the disabled list in late April and sent him to AAA, Texas released Seanez. He signed a minor league deal with Boston in early May, and the Red Sox called him up on May 20th while demoting RHP Jason Shiell. Seanez isn't pitching poorly, but he's the newest arrival and the most expendable of Boston's relievers.

Shiell pitched well for the Red Sox with the exception of his final outing in which he allowed five walks in 1.2 innings. He should be back in September if he's not needed before then.

On May 13th, Boston activated RHP Robert Person from the DL. Person is still working on readjusting to relief work, but he should be one of the stronger relievers on the staff. The Red Sox demoted RHP Steve Woodard to make room on the roster for Person. Woodard didn't pitch terribly for Boston and is still worth keeping at AAA as insurance, but he shouldn't be a regular member of their pen.

By the way, go Nomar! Twenty-five games and counting, going into his strongest month of the year and a fairly easy schedule.