Just five days after he was brought up for what figured to be a lengthy stint with the Red Sox, right-hander Michael Bowden was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday to make room for Josh Beckett.
Beckett was activated from the 60-day disabled list prior to pitching against the Mariners at Safeco Field, officially bumping Tim Wakefield to the bullpen and making Bowden expendable, despite the team's assertion just days ago that the 23-year-old would be a big part of the pen going forward.
After being converted from a starter to reliever while in Pawtucket this year, Bowden threw six scoreless innings and picked up a pair of wins out of the bullpen for the PawSox. He did not allow a run in 2 1/3 innings with Boston but did give up the game-winning hit in a loss in Oakland on Tuesday.
Beckett had been on the DL with a lower back strain for roughly two months. He last pitched May 18 in New York.
