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Red Sox Option Okajima, Aceves

BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Red Sox have their 25-man roster set for the regular season.

General Manager Theo Epstein announced on Monday the team has optioned relievers Hideki Okajima and Alfredo Aceves to Triple-A Pawtucket while keeping Matt Albers and Dennys Reyes on the Major League roster, The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham reports.

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The Red Sox will go with a bullpen of Jonathan Papelbon, Daniel Bard, Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler, Tim Wakefield, Reyes and Albers to start the season. The Red Sox open the 2011 season Friday afternoon against the Rangers in Texas.

Okajima has been with Boston since 2007, sporting a 3.06 ERA over his four-year career. Okajima pitched in 60+ games each of his first three seasons in Boston, but surrendered a career high 59 hits in 46 innings in 2010.

Aceves, signed as a free-agent during the off-season, could be a starter in Pawtucket but would be one of the first arms up if the Red Sox need bullpen help.

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Albers put up impressive numbers this spring, striking out 13 in 12.2 innings pitched. He allowed just four earned runs off 14 hits for an ERA of 2.84.

Reyes, who will serve as the lefty out of the pen, appeared in 10 games this spring, allowing three earned runs over 10 innings while striking out eight and walking five.

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