Red Sox option Jackie Bradley Jr. to Triple-A, call up Drake Britton

Left-handed pitcher Drake Britton will join the Red Sox for their last game of the first half of the season, with Jackie Bradley Jr. headed back to Pawtucket to make room.

This is the first trip for the 24-year-old Drake Britton to the majors. An exciting young prospect early in his career, Britton was set well back by Tommy John Surgery in 2008. While his Double-A performance after a mid-season promotion in 2012 provided some promise after a disastrous year-and-a-half at High-A Salem, Britton earned the ire of both fans and the organization alike after being arrested for driving under the influence (and, man, was he ever).

On the mound, he's had a decent year in Double-A, pitching to a 3.51 ERA before being knocked around for five runs in five innings in his Triple-A debut. Chances are, though, that he's only here as insurance against a terrible start from Brandon Workman. Whether that means he'll be throwing 100 pitches in a blowout or be called on to try to keep the game under control if Workman struggles early remains to be seen.

Whatever the case, it's likely right back to Pawtucket for him afterwards.

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