Red Sox outfielder Wily Mo Pena, left, and first baseman David Ortiz chat after batting practice before yesterday’s game, in which Pena hit a long home run, his first of the spring, off the Phillies’ Jamie Moyer.

AP / Kathy Willens

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Julian Tavarez pitched his best baseball last season as a starter. Now, he’ll get that chance again.

Considered the club’s best closing option for the first week of the season after Mike Timlin (strained oblique) was made unavailable by injury, Tavarez found himself back in the rotation yesterday, flip-flopping with Jonathan Papelbon, who yesterday reassumed the closer’s role.

Tavarez will begin the season as the team’s fifth starter, following Tim Wakefield, who is being bumped to number four. Tavarez will make his first start on April 7 in Texas.

“He likes to start,” said Terry Francona in announcing the move yesterday.

In six starts, beginning on Aug. 31, Tavarez was unbeaten, going 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA. His start at the end of August was his first since September of 2002 while with Florida.

The highlight of Tavarez’s starts came on Sept. 22, a complete-game effort against Toronto.

As a starter last year, Tavarez was far more animated on the mound, pointing to infielders as if directing them on ground balls.

To prepare for the transition yesterday, Tavarez started for Class-A Lancaster in a minor-league game, going 3 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and no runs with four strikeouts. He threw 63 pitches, 40 of them strikes.

It’s unclear when Tavarez will pitch again here, but he’s already set for a simulated game April 3 in Kansas City, an off-day after the opener.

The Red Sox and Phillies played to a 4-4 tie in 10 innings yesterday before running out of pitchers.

It was the Sox’ second tie of the spring. They also also tied Minnesota, 5-5, on Feb. 28.

Wakefield went six innings and gave up two earned runs, which came on a two-run homer by Chase Utley in the first. He struck out four and didn’t allow a walk.

“I felt good,” said Wakefield, who continues to work on throwing his curveball for strikes. “I’ve got a good feel (for the knuckleball) and I’m ready to go.”

His final Florida tuneup will come Tuesday against Pittsburgh.

Around the bases

On a windblown day, the Sox got long homers from Wily Mo Pena (solo shot in the second) and Kevin Youkilis (three-run belt in the third) to account for all of their runs. Both homers came off veteran lefty Jamie Moyer. Pena has hit poorly this spring. The homer was his first of the Grapefruit League season and just his second RBI. After a 1-for-4 day, he’s hitting just .200. … Bryan Corey pitched a scoreless 10th, and has been scored upon just twice in nine appearances. … The Sox host Baltimore today, with Curt Schilling starting. He’ll be followed by J.C. Romero and Brendan Donnelly. ... Coco Crisp (left shoulder) will be held out against lefty Erik Bedard, but is slated to return to action tomorrow against Tampa Bay. … Timlin has increased his long-toss distance to 150 feet, but is being monitored carefully. … The Sox have already matched last spring’s win total (10) with another week of games remaining.

smcadam@projo.com