BOSTON — The Red Sox placed reliever Hirokazu Sawamura on the 10-day injured list with right tricep inflammation and recalled righty Phillips Valdez from Triple-A Worcester before Friday’s game, the team announced. Sawamura’s IL stint was backdated to July 20, so the earliest he can be activated is July 30 (next Friday).

Sawamura last pitched Monday night against the Blue Jays in Buffalo, throwing two pitches to record the final out of the seventh inning in a blowout win. Before that, he allowed back-to-back homers in the sixth (and final) inning of Boston’s loss to the Yankees on Saturday night. There was no indication that he was dealing with an injury before he was placed on the IL.

Sawamura has pitched well all season, posting a 2.87 ERA and striking out 44 batters in 37 2/3 innings. In eight July outings, he has allowed three earned runs in six innings (4.50 ERA).

Valdez posted a 4.24 ERA in 20 appearances (23 1/3 innings) in the majors at the beginning of the season before being sent down on June 10. In Worcester, Valdez pitched to a 3.38 ERA (four earned runs in 10 ⅔ innings) in 20 outings.

Sawamura is the fourth member of the Red Sox to be placed on the injured list since the end of the All-Star break, joining Marwin Gonzalez (right hamstring strain), Christian Arroyo (left hamstring strain) and Danny Santana (left groin strain). Reliever Matt Andriese (right hamstring tendinitis) has been on the IL since July 10.

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