Bullpen bulletins: Breslow returns; Workman sent down

Excited much?! Lefty reliever Craig Breslow is returning to the Red Sox roster today, while righty Brandon Workman will take Breslow's spot down on the farm in Pawtucket (Christopher Evans/Boston Herald)

Jan-Christian Sorensen Contributing Writer

Hold your horses, Red Sox Nation: The cavalry is en route.

The Red Sox will activate lefty reliever Craig Breslow from the 15-day disabled list today prior to Boston’s final game in its three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park.

Breslow made three non-competitive outings in spring training before hitting the DL with a shoulder strain.

On Monday night, Breslow capped off a three-game rehab assignment with the PawSox by retiring all three batters he faced in one inning of work against the Syracuse Chiefs, recording six strikes on ten pitches.

“As far as I’m concerned, I feel good, I feel healthy, I feel I’m ready to help the team up there but it’s not a decision for me to make,” he told the Providence Journal.

Overall, Breslow was 1-0 and allowed no earned runs and only one hit while walking two and striking out one in 2.2 innings of work for Pawtucket.

In 2013, Breslow went 5-2 with a 1.81 ERA in 61 games, striking out 33 and walking 18 in 59.2 innings. While he struggled in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, he was 1-0 and didn’t give up a run in three ALDS games versus Tampa Bay and four ALCS games against Detroit, allowing only three hits while striking out six in seven innings of work.

Alongside Andrew Miller and Chris Capuano, Breslow now gives the Red Sox three lefty relief options out of the ‘pen.

To make room on the roster, righthander Brandon Workman was optioned back down to Pawtucket, where Sox GM Ben Cherington and manager John Farrell plan to stretch him out to be a starter.

“Obviously it’s not ideal, but I understand what they’re doing,” Workman told MLB.com on Tuesday. “I have to keep working. There’s really not much else to do. Breslow obviously deserves a spot here. That’s the way it goes.”

So far in 2014, Workman has only allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven in 6.1 innings.

First pitch for today’s series finale against the Rangers is set for 4:05 p.m. EST. Jake Peavy (0-0, 3.00 ERA) gets the ball against Robert Ross, Jr. (0-0, 3.60 ERA).

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