Red Sox Roster Moves for September 1st

Five players added with September roster expansion; First Baseman/Outfielder Jeff Bailey designated for assignment

BOSTON, MA—The Red Sox today added five players with the September expansion of active Major League rosters. The club reinstated catcher George Kottaras from the 15-day disabled list, recalled outfielder Brian Anderson from Triple-A Pawtucket and right-handed pitcher Junichi Tazawa from the Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League Red Sox, and selected outfielder Joey Gathright and infielder Chris Woodward to the active Major League roster from Pawtucket. All five players will be in uniform for tonight’s game at Tampa Bay. Additionally, the Red Sox designated first baseman/outfielder Jeff Bailey for assignment.

The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Kottaras, 26, has been on the disabled list since August 1 (retroactive to July 30) with a lower back strain. He has made 10 rehab appearances with Triple-A Pawtucket, batting .292 (7-for-24) with three doubles, six walks and a run scored. In 36 games with the Red Sox this season, he has hit .224 (19-for-85) with one home run and nine RBI and ranks tied for eighth among American League rookies with 10 doubles. Kottaras has made 33 appearances behind the plate for Boston in 2009, including 24 starts. In 39 career Major League games with the Red Sox, he is 20-for-90 (.222) while catching in 35 contests.

The 27-year-old Anderson will be making his second stint with the Red Sox this season. He has appeared in three games in right field (two starts) for Boston while going 1-for-6 (.167) with an RBI and run scored. In 24 games for Pawtucket in 2009, he hit .200 (16-for-80) with four home runs and eight RBI. Anderson was acquired from the White Sox for outfielder Mark Kotsay on July 28 and appeared in 65 games for Chicago earlier this season, batting .238 (44-for-185) with two home runs and 13 RBI. The right-handed hitter owns a .225 average (177-for-788), 20 home runs and 76 RBI in 337 career Major League games since making his debut for the White Sox in 2005. His .991 career fielding percentage ranks ninth among American League outfielders with at least 300 games played since 2005.

Tazawa, 23, was optioned to the Gulf Coast League Red Sox on August 29 but did not pitch with the club. The right-hander is 2-3 with a 6.65 ERA (16 ER/21.2 IP) in five games (four starts) for Boston this season. He combined to go 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA (31 ER/109.1 IP) in 20 starts between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket earlier this year. He was named an Eastern League All-Star and represented Team World in the 2009 All-Star Futures Game in St. Louis. Tazawa is in his first professional season after signing with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent on December 11, 2008.

Gathright, who will wear No. 23, was acquired in a minor league trade with Baltimore on August 29 and has appeared in three games with the PawSox, going 2-for-10 (.200) with a run scored. In 80 games with Baltimore’s Triple-A Norfolk club, the 28-year-old hit .329 (106-for-322) with 20 RBI, 49 runs scored and 24 stolen bases. The left-handed batter began the season with the Cubs and appeared in 11 games in center field (one start) while going 3-for-14 (.214) in 20 games overall. Gathright has a career .262 average (304-for-1,159) with 96 RBI and 170 runs scored in 428 Major League games over parts of six Major League seasons with Tampa Bay (2004-06), Kansas City (2006-08) and Chicago (2009). He has stolen 20 or more bases in three seasons (2005, 2006 and 2008) with 79 career stolen bases overall.

Woodward, who will wear No. 30, went 0-for-4 with a walk in five games for the Red Sox after he was claimed off waivers from Seattle on August 7. In 12 games with the PawSox, he went 4-for-31 (.129) with 5 walks while appearing at second base, third base and shortstop. Woodward, 33, has a career .242 average (404-for-1,669) with 33 home runs and 191 RBI over 632 Major League games with the Blue Jays (1999-2004), Mets (2005-06), Braves (2007), Mariners (2009) and Red Sox (2009) and has played at least three different positions in seven of his 10 Major League seasons.

Bailey, 30, is hitting .264 (58-for-220) with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 61 games for Triple-A Pawtucket. He also made two stints with Boston this season, batting .208 (16-for-77) with three home runs and nine RBI in 26 games.

With today’s additions, the Red Sox active Major League roster is at 30 players and the club’s 40-man roster is now at 40.

Courtesy:Boston Red Sox communications