Buchholz ready to return Wednesday

BOSTON (AP) - The Red Sox are about to get one of their injured stars back.

Boston manager Terry Francona said Saturday that All-Star pitcher Clay Buchholz, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, will start Wednesday in Oakland.

Buchholz, who is 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 15 starts this season, was hurt running the bases in San Francisco on June 26. He went to the All-Star game Tuesday, but was unavailable to pitch.

The right-hander tossed 3 2-3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket at Syracuse on Friday.

"Being out for three weeks, getting back on the mound felt good," Buchholz said Saturday. "I felt like I got my velocity back. That's what I went out there to do."

The Red Sox activated reliever Manny Delcarmen from the 15-day DL in time for Saturday's game against Texas. He was sidelined with a strained right forearm before a rehab outing with Double-A Portland on Thursday.

Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek are all on Boston's disabled list — as well as backups Jeremy Hermida and Mike Lowell.

In addition to Delcarmen's return, the Red Sox added depth to their weakened catching corps, recalling Dusty Brown from Pawtucket to give the club three catchers.

Brown spent the entire season in Triple-A before spraining his left thumb in June. He just completed a three-game rehab assignment with Class-A Lowell and in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

Kevin Cash and Gustavo Molina are the club's other two active catchers.

Boston's two regular catchers, Martinez (broken thumb) and Varitek (broken foot), have been sidelined since early July.

To make room for Brown and Delcarmen, right-hander Fernando Cabrera was designated for assignment and Friday's starter and loser, Felix Doubront, was optioned to Pawtucket.