MINNEAPOLIS — After some consultation late Thursday night and yesterday, the Red Sox decided to have Jon Lester join the team here today, though Lester isn’t yet ready to pitch.

Lester, who had a successful battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma last fall and winter, suffered a forearm cramp Wednesday night in his second rehab outing with Pawtucket.

He is not scheduled to throw again for a few days, but the Sox believe there’s a benefit to having him with the major-league training staff as he works his way back to the mound.

“The more we talked about it,” said manager Terry Francona, “the more it made sense. We’ll be able to evaluate him, whether it’s long-toss or a side session.

Lester is officially through with his 30-day rehab assignment and has been placed on the disabled list. When he’s cleared to pitch again, he likely will be optioned back to Pawtucket and continue to build his pitch count past 100.

Devern Hansack, promoted from Pawtucket after Mike Timlin was placed on the disabled list Thursday night, will be used in relief after beginning the season as a starter with the PawSox.

“My whole spring training, I relieved,” said Hansack. “I’ll just take it the same way.”

Hansack was seen as a longshot to make the team in March, but lost out in a numbers game. On the morning he was optioned to the minor leagues, an emotional Hansack politely refused comment.

“I knew there was a lot of competition,” he said yesterday.

Francona was unsure how Hansack would be utilized out of the bullpen, but because he’s been stretched out as a starter (1-3, 3.77 ERA) he could give the team some length in long relief.

“I hope I brought my best stuff with me,” said Hansack. “The team is going well and I hope to help them keep it going. That’s my aim.

The Sox are trying to figure out how to help Daisuke Matsuzaka get turned around. Pitching coach John Farrell plans to meet with Matsuzaka to go over his between-starts work.

“There might be some adjustments,” said Francona.

Matsuzaka modified his regimen and throw day before Thursday’s start, in which he went just five innings and allowed five runs in the first inning.

Part of the acclimation project may involve getting Matsuzaka accustomed to pitching every five days, rather than once every six days, as he was used to in Japan.

Julian Tavarez will start for the Sox tonight in the second game of the series, and once more will draw a tough opponent. He’ll be opposed by Twins lefty Johan Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner.

In Tavarez’s last four starts, he was opposed by Kevin Millwood, twice by Roy Halladay (another Cy Young Award winner) and Chien-Ming Wang, the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season.

Francona pointed out that the Sox are 2-2 in those starts.

Around the bases

Performance coach Don Kalkstein, who serves in a similar capacity for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, was taking plenty of ribbing from players and staff in the clubhouse after the Mavericks’ first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors. Francona said it was his decision not to utilize closer Jonathan Papelbon Thursday night, and wasn’t dictated by the training staff. Papelbon had thrown 35 pitches Tuesday in blowing his first save of the season, and Francona decided it was best to give him a couple of days off. “We’re going to be pitching him all year,” said Francona, “and we want the dominant guy (available). Sometimes there’s a need to let guys regroup. Just because he can pitch doesn’t mean he should pitch. Francona added that Papelbon’s drop in velocity was not alarming. . . . Twins outfielder Torii Hunter extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a first-inning infield single. . . . Alex Cora was given the start at second base last night, with Dustin Pedroia set to face the left-handed Johan Santana tonight.

smcadam@projo.com