Red Sox Assign Chris Carpenter, Three Other Pitchers to Minor League Camp

The Red Sox continued cutting down their roster on Thursday. The team announced that four pitchers have been assigned to minor league camp.

Chris Carpenter, Terry Doyle, Oscar Villarreal and Chris Hernandez — all non-roster invitees to major league camp — were the pitchers reassigned. With the moves, the Red Sox now have 42 players in big league camp, including 32 players from the 40-man roster, one on the 60-day disabled list and nine non-roster invitees.

Carpenter, who appeared in eight games with Boston last season, allowed four earned runs in 8 1/3 innings (4.32 ERA) this spring. He’ll continue to serve as organizational bullpen depth, as he was taken off Boston’s 40-man roster earlier in the offseason and then cleared waivers.

Doyle, a Boston College alum and Concord, Mass., native, allowed nine runs (six earned) in 14 innings (3.86 ERA). He’ll also serve as organizational depth, perhaps getting a call-up later in the season if the Red Sox are bitten by the injury bug.

Villarreal, a 31-year-old who last pitched in the majors in 2008, allowed five earned runs in five innings (9.00 ERA).

Hernandez, a seventh-round pick in 2010, allowed five earned runs in 11 1/3 innings (3.97 ERA), and he’ll continue to get stretched out at Triple-A Pawtucket.

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