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Red Sox roster move: Key back-end reliever returns from IL with Jack Anderson optioned to WooSox
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- Red Sox roster move: Key back-end reliever returns from IL with Jack Anderson optioned to WooSox
BOSTON — As expected, the Red Sox bullpen received a reinforcement Saturday .
Boston activated righty Justin Slaten off the injured list and optioned Jack Anderson back to Triple-A Worcester, the club announced. Slaten was available for Saturday’s game which was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on July 17 .
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Slaten has been out since April 5 with a right oblique strain, missing 31 games. He made two rehab appearances (with Portland on Sunday and with Worcester on Wednesday) and tossed two shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out four.
“It’s another back-end piece that can lengthen the bullpen out,” said interim manager Chad Tracy. “It’s good to have him back.”
Slaten made four appearances for the Red Sox in the first eight games of the season before landing on the IL . The 28-year-old allowed one unearned run in 3 ⅓ innings, recording five strikeouts and walking two. He’ll likely slot in as the seventh-inning man ahead of setup man Garrett Whitlock and closer Aroldis Chapman . Righties Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert were getting high-leverage chances during Slaten’s absence.
“Everyone knows that when Slate is healthy and in there, between him, Whitlock and Chappy, we’re going to rely on those guys at the back of the bullpen,” Tracy said. “It’s like adding an extra guy into a lineup.
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“When you add Slaten into the bullpen, it slides some really good arms maybe back a little earlier in the game... You feel like you can make it really, really difficult on a team for the last nine outs.”
Anderson was recalled after Thursday’s game to replace starter Jake Bennett on the roster and provide a long relief option . In his previous major league stint, the righty logged a 3.38 ERA and struck out six batters in eight innings over three games. He has a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings for the WooSox in 2026.
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