Koji Time: Red Sox Activate Uehara From Disabled List
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox have their closer back.
Just ahead of the team's home opener on Monday afternoon, Boston activated Koji Uehara from the 15-day disabled list.
Boston's 40-year-old closer dealt with hamstring issues earlier this spring and made just three Grapefruit League appearances. He made a rehab appearance for Single-A Greenville on Saturday night, allowing one run on three hits over an inning of work against San Francisco's Augusta GreenJackets.
Uehara was dominant as Boston's closer in the second half of the 2013 season, finishing the year with a 4-1 record, 21 saves and a 1.09 ERA. He struck out 101 batters in just 74.1 innings.
But fatigue set in late in the 2014 season, and Uehara temporarily lost his job as Boston's closer. While he finished with 26 saves in 2014, he had three blown saves and a 7.20 ERA in August and September.
To make room for Uehara on the 25-man roster, the Red Sox optioned left-handed pitcher Tommy Layne to Triple-A Pawtucket.
