Wakefield Moves to Closer Role

With Tom Gordon hurting, the Boston Red Sox said that Tim Wakefield will take over as the team’s closer.

“I don’t care. Whatever it takes to win games,” Wakefield said before the Red Sox’ 4-2 loss to the New York Mets at New York.

Gordon blew his second consecutive save opportunity Friday night after converting a major league record 54 in a row, then said his right elbow was hurting again. He spent a month on the disabled list this season because of the elbow.

Boston decided to send him home for an MRI on Monday and, anticipating another trip to the disabled list, shift Wakefield to the bullpen. The Red Sox intend to bring up Jin Ho Cho from triple-A Pawtucket to take over Wakefield’s scheduled start Monday night against the Minnesota Twins at Boston.

Wakefield, 32, has made 165 starts and 16 relief appearances in his career. The knuckleballer is 3-6 with a 5.49 earned-run average in 11 starts and three relief appearances this season.

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Tom Goodwin was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Texas Rangers because of a hip flexor injury suffered while running the bases.

Goodwin suffered a small tear in his left hip flexor muscle in the sixth inning of Friday’s 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies when he slid into third base on a double by Rusty Greer. The club said that MRI results show the tear is not significant.