BOSTON — Junichi Tazawa has been optioned to Triple-A.
With the Red Sox activating David Ortiz off the disabled list, the team needed to make a corresponding move, and designated hitter Mauro Gomez appeared to be the candidate.
But Tazawa was the one whose name was called Friday afternoon.
The decision to keep Gomez may have been a sign that the trade talks
between the Red Sox and Dodgers were getting serious. Those suspicions deepened when first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was a late scratch from Boston's lineup.
Through 20 appearances for the Red Sox this season, Tazawa posted a 1.37 ERA with one save and 22 strikeouts.
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