01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 3, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., the Red Sox' only acquisition during the frenzied last days of the non-waiver trading period, joined his new team yesterday.

Boston marks the sixth big-league stop for Cruz, 31. He had been designated for assignment by Arizona last week, and the Sox worked a trade for Cruz, sending two minor leaguers to the Diamondbacks.

Cruz started in right field. The switch hitter has been bothered by back troubles, notably a bulging disc that caused some inflammation of the nerves down his right leg, leading to some weakness in that leg.

But Cruz insisted yesterday that his back troubles are behind him.

"I haven't played much lately, so that gave it a chance to heal," said Cruz, who also has played for Seattle, Toronto, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Arizona.

Cruz fouled out to the catcher, grounded out to first and walked, leaving for a pinch runner after his base on balls in the seventh.

Cruz was wearing number 32. Jeremi Gonzalez gave Cruz that number and took number 54. In 1997, Cruz was traded for new teammate Mike Timlin in a deal between the Mariners and the Blue Jays.

Pabelpon back to Pawtucket

Right-hander Jon Papelbon, who gave up three runs, two of them earned, in his 5 1/3 innings in his big-league debut last Sunday, was optioned back to Pawtucket to make room for Cruz.

And he didn't go down to the PawSox to resume his role in the rotation. The Red Sox want Papelbon to work out of the bullpen, which is the role they envision him assuming when he returns to Boston at some point this season.

Papelbon, 24, will be on a schedule, working one inning his first outing, two innings his second outing and eventually back-to-back days. The idea isn't to make him a closer, just to reacclimate him with pitching out of the bullpen, which he did for Mississippi State, when he was the Sox' sixth-round pick in 2003.

But the Sox, who visualize Papelbon's contributions to the team this year coming out of the bullpen, still see him as a starter in the future. This way, also, the Sox can limit his innings for the year, which is an organizational goal for young pitchers in the system.

Clement returns tomorrow

Matt Clement, who was struck squarely on the right side of the head by a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford on July 19, threw a bulpen session yesterday and pronounced himself ready to start tomorrow.

"I'm not 100 percent, but I'll see how I respond in a game when I have to be 100 percent," said Clement of his health. "It's hard to simulate 100 percent in the bullpen."

Injury update

John Olerud, suffering from sore hamstring, was not in the starting lineup last night. Francona said Olerud, who tweaked the hamstring during Sunday's game, was a little more tender yesterday than the team had hoped.

Trot Nixon (left oblique) said he has been feeling better, even able to do some light trunk-twisting exercises in the pool, but he isn't going to be fooled into thinking the injury, which he suffered on July 19, is healed enough to permit him to step up to baseball activities. Nixon, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 20, will not accompany the Sox this weekend, opting to stay home and work with trainer Scott Waugh.

Closer Keith Foulke threw off flat ground again yesterday and continues to progress. He also will be staying in Boston over the weekend to work with Waugh.

Ambres looking good

Chip Ambres, who was playing well for Pawtucket when he was traded to the Royals as part of the deal a few weeks ago that brought Tony Graffanino to Boston, started in left field last night for Kansas City.

He was batting .348 (8 for 23), including the first homer of his big-league career. Ambres reached on an infield single down the third-base line and scored a run in the first inning.

Ambres, who joined the Red Sox organization last winter as a six-year free agent who had never been above Double A with the Marlins, made the trade look even worse when he hammered a 2-and-2 pitch from Tim Wakefield over the Green Monster in left-center for a solo homer in the third.

Around the horn

Liam McKinnon, 7, from Little Compton, was called upon for the pregame "Play Ball" announcement . . . Former "Cheers" mailman John (Cliff) Ratzenberger, was the PA man at the start of the bottom of the sixth, announcing, "Now batting, Manny being Manny Ramirez."