Red Sox Bullpen Competition Down to Four

If your name was Alfredo Aceves, Matt Albers, Hideki Okajima or Dennys Reyes, it was a good day for you at City of Palms Park where the Boston Red Sox are getting ready for the 2011 season. However, if you’re name was Scott Atchison, Ryan Kalish, Andrew Miller, Rich Hill, Randy Williams, Brandon Duckworth, Michael Bowden, it just wasn’t your time to start the season in the big leagues.

The Red Sox made more cuts on Friday as Atchison, Bowden, Kalish were all optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. Hill, Miller, Williams and Duckworth were all reassigned to minor league camp.

It will be interesting to see what the Red Sox do for the final two bullpen spots. You know they are going to carry at least one lefty down there so one spot will go to Okajima or Reyes. And with Reyes having an opt-out on his contract and Okajima having options remaining, there’s a decent chance it could be Reyes. 

Albers is also out of options so there’s a chance he could beat out Okajima and Aceves for the final spot in the Red Sox bullpen to start the season. 

With Reyes’ opt-out coming on Sunday, we’ll know whether or not he makes the team if he’s still in Ft. Myers on Sunday. There’s always the possibility the Red Sox could try to renegotiate is opt-out but who knows.

Should be a fun next couple of days. Actually not so fun for the four involved.

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The Red Sox are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at 7:05 p.m. If you live in the Red Sox television market, you can catch the game on NESN.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

Also scheduled to pitch for the Red Sox: RHP Jonathan Papelbon, RHP Daniel Bard, LHP Hideki Okajima, LHP Dennys Reyes.

Also scheduled to pitch for the Blue Jays: LHP David Purcey, RHP Carlos Villanueva.