Bullpen reinforcements arrive from Pawtucket

BOSTON — Jalen Beeks and Ryan Brasier had no complaints about missing Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game in Ohio.

Pawtucket’s left-handed starting pitcher and right-handed closer were both in the Red Sox bullpen on Tuesday night at Fenway Park, prepared to pitch in behind starter Hector Velazquez against the Rangers.

Beeks was recalled Tuesday afternoon to replace William Cuevas, who was optioned to the PawSox. Brasier was added to the 40-man roster on Sunday and made his first big league appearance in five years the following night while mopping up a 5-0 shutout of Texas.

Beeks has thrown 82 2/3 innings through 15 starts with the PawSox this season, and the move to Boston — if an extended one — could purposefully limit his workload for 2018. Beeks also presents the Red Sox with a traditional matchup-based option in relief, holding left-handed hitters to 18 hits and striking out 33 in 25 1/3 innings.

“I think it’s a good time for him to reset — we feel as an organization,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “You see the numbers against lefties, too. He’s been dominant. He’s a strike-thrower.”

Brasier’s long journey back from the Angels bullpen in 2013 included Tommy John surgery that cost him the 2014 season, a stint in rookie ball with the Athletics in 2015 and a season spent with the Hiroshima Carp of the Japan Central League in 2017. His 1-2-3 ninth inning against Texas was consistent with his performance at Pawtucket this season. Brasier hasn’t allowed an earned run since May 12.

Rotation shuffle: Whether or not Chris Sale will start his third straight All-Star Game for the American League remains to be seen.

Sale will pitch at some point Tuesday at Nationals Park, lining up perfectly for the summer showcase by making his final Red Sox start on Wednesday night. Cora hasn’t determined where Sale will slot into the rotation when Boston resumes action in a three-game series at Detroit next Friday.

“We’re still working on it,” Cora said. “We’ll probably see how they end up and how many days off we want each guy to have. We’ll have an idea probably Friday.”

The availability of Brian Johnson (left hip inflammation) and Drew Pomeranz (left biceps tendinitis) could shuffle the deck for the Red Sox. Johnson was out for pitcher’s fielding practice early Tuesday, covering first base on bunts, and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Pomeranz is scheduled to make a third rehab start for the PawSox on Saturday.

As for further changes to the rotation, Cora discussed breaking up his left-handers by somehow inserting the right-handed Rick Porcello into the mix. Sale’s pitch mix stands on its own, but similarities between David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez could see them spread apart.

“Chris is different from everybody else because he’s slider, fastball and change-up,” Cora said. “The other guys are fastball, cutter, change-up.”

 Under the knives: Catcher Christian Vazquez (right pinkie finger) and infielder Marco Hernandez (left shoulder) both underwent surgery on Tuesday.

Vazquez had what Boston called a successful pinning procedure performed on the fractured digit. Johns Hopkins University defines the open reduction and internal fixation surgery as an operation designed to stabilize and heal a broken bone. Vazquez is expected to miss at least six weeks.

It was the third surgery endured by Hernandez in barely 14 months since suffering a subluxation in May 2017 against the Orioles. The anterior stability revision leaves Hernandez with no timetable for return.

 Velazquez starts: Velazquez drew his third start of the season on Tuesday, his first since April 14.

 This turn in the rotation has previously been held by Johnson, Pomeranz and Steven Wright (left knee inflammation), and a reluctant Cora admitted Tuesday would be something of a bullpen day for his staff.

“He’s done it before,” Cora said pregame. “I feel when he’s a starter he’s more aggressive in the strike zone than when he’s a reliever.”