BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirmed after Sunday's 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles that Tim Wakefield is going to the bullpen, with Daisuke Matsuzaka scheduled to pitch Saturday night in Baltimore.
"I think he had a lot on his mind all week," Francona said of Wakefield, who had been informed by Francona before Thursday's game that he would be going to the bullpen. "Maybe we made it harder on him.
"We'll have some things to deal with. This will turn out good."
Wakefield pitched well Sunday, leaving with a 4-1 lead in the seventh before the Orioles tied it against Hideki Okajima (a second run was charged to Wakefield).
Wakefield refused to address his demotion. Asked for his reaction to the move, Wakefield said, "I don't have any."
Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.