Alfredo Aceves requested $1.6 million and was offered $950,000 from the Red Sox when arbitration figures were exchanged Tuesday.

Aceves, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time, had a 2.61 ERA and 80/42 K/BB ratio over 114 innings as a swingman for the Red Sox last season. His salary request isn't unreasonable, but we expect the two sides will eventually reach a compromise.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Alfredo Aceves will compete in spring training to be a member of the team's rotation.

"We believe Alfredo can start and we've had some dialogue with him about coming to spring training prepared to be a starter and compete for a starter's role,'' Cherington said. "The ultimate role when the season opens is to be determined. But we certainly think he can start if the spot was there to be had.'' Though 105 of 114 career appearances for Aceves have come as a reliever, he was primarily a starter in the minors and in the Mexican League. The 28-year-old would have a good shot to win a job in the rotation if given a real opportunity.

The Red Sox have discussed moving Alfredo Aceves into the rotation, but he'll stay in the bullpen for now.

Aceves has made four spot starts this season and has plenty of starting experience, but the Red Sox will not change his role right now. "He's a pretty good pitcher; I acknowledge that. I think he could start for us,'' manager Terry Francona said. "I'm not sure it's fair to him. What he's done already is kind of miraculous. "If we don't have him in the bullpen, I'm not sure where we go right now. So it's not just the idea of him starting, because he can do that. I don't know how you replace him in the bullpen.''

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Red Sox are now focused on obtaining relief help after their efforts to land Hiroki Kuroda and Rich Harden proved unsuccessful.

Sherman writes that the Sox "spent big time" on Kuroda and Harden and are "not enthused" with the remainder of the starting pitching market, indicating that they no longer have interest in Erik Bedard. They evidently are now thinking of sticking swingman Alfredo Aceves into the rotation.

Alfredo Aceves pitched admirably out of relief in Tuesday's victory over the Royals, yielding no runs in 3 1/3 innings to earn his sixth victory.

The swingman is now 6-1 on the season and 20-2 on his career, giving him the best winning percentage of any pitcher in baseball history with at least 20 decisions. He was needed on Tuesday after starter Andrew Miller was bombed for seven runs over 3 2/3 innings. Aceves has been a nice little pickup for Boston this season, posting a 3.28 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 41/26 K/BB rate over 71 1/3 innings.

Alfredo Aceves pitched admirably in Wednesday's victory over the Yankees, yielding one earned run in 3 2/3 innings to earn the save.

His relief appearance did not start well, as he gave up back-to-back singles to the eighth and ninth hitters. But he then coaxed Derek Jeter into an inning-ending double play and relinquished only two hits over the next three innings. Aceves added four strikeouts and one walk, and lowered his ERA to 3.29.

Alfredo Aceves has been moved back to the bullpen with John Lackey's pending return.

Aceves has posted a 3.51 ERA and 1.23 WHIP this season, but he picked a bad time for his worst outing of the season, as he was blasted for eight runs -- six earned -- over five innings Tuesday. That made it easy for the Sox to keep Tim Wakefield in the rotation over him.

Alfredo Aceves was pummeled for eight runs -- six earned -- over five innings against the White Sox Tuesday.

He allowed eight hits and three walks while striking out only one. Previous to this game, Aceves had given up just two runs over 11 innings in his two starts. His stinker Tuesday should make Boston's decision easier once John Lackey returns, allowing Tim Wakefield to stay in the rotation. Aceves falls to 2-1 on the season with a 3.51 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.

Alfredo Aceves will be promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket before Friday's game.

Aceves will pitch in middle relief for the Red Sox and is going to take the 25-man roster spot that currently belongs to right-hander Scott Atchison.

Alfredo Aceves was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday with Triple-A Pawtucket.

This is the biggest hint yet that Aceves, not Daisuke Matsuzaka, will start Friday against the Twins. Scott Atchison, who was called up for Thursday's game against the Angels, will likely be sent down to the minors.

Red Sox optioned RHP Alfredo Aceves to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Aceves posted a quality 2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over eight innings, but Matt Albers is healthy and ready to reclaim his spot in the middle of the Boston bullpen.

Alfredo Aceves was called up from the minors on Friday April 8.

Alfredo Aceves gave up one run on three hits over three innings in Monday's 2-1 win over the Yankees.

An impressive outing against his former team. Aceves walked one and struck out one while throwing 34 out of 49 pitches for strikes. He now has a 3.48 ERA and 2/2 K/BB ratio over 10 1/3 innings of work this spring. He could still make the Red Sox out of the bullpen, though the club may decide to keep him stretched out as a starter at the Triple-A level.

Alfredo Aceves allowed just an unearned run over three innings Saturday in his start against the Orioles.

The Red Sox are going to have to scramble to find room in their pen for Aceves, but he'll definitely be deserving of a spot if he continues to throw as he has so far in camp. The 28-year-old had a career 3.21 ERA in five starts and 54 relief appearances for the Yankees.

Alfredo Aceves pitched two scoreless innings out of the pen Tuesday against the Twins.

The Yankees didn't think Aceves would be ready to compete for a spot when they non-tendered him in December, but he's proven that he's recovered from back surgery and a broken left clavicle. The Red Sox may have to make room for him in middle relief.

Alfredo Aceves is expected to return to Red Sox camp on Friday.

Aceves arrived last week, but left for Mexico in order to resolve an issue with his visa. We're interested to see him in game action, but the Red Sox have been impressed with the 28-year-old right-hander in the early days of spring training. Aceves was limited to 10 appearances with the Yankees last season due to a back injury and suffered a broken clavicle in a bicycle accident in late-November.

Alfredo Aceves left camp on Monday in order to resolve a visa issue.

Similar to his new teammate Dennys Reyes, Aceves is headed to a consulate on Wednesday morning in order to receive the proper documentation. He should be back with the team before the exhibition schedule begins this weekend.

The Red Sox have been impressed early on with Alfredo Aceves.

Aceves lost weight over the offseason and hasn't shown any lingering effects of the back injury that cost him most of last season or the broken clavicle he suffered over the winter. "I feel great,'' said Aceves. "I'm glad to be here.'' The right-hander is being viewed as insurance for the rotation, but he can also fill a relief role if need be. It's looking early on like this might have been another shrewd move by GM Theo Epstein.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said Thursday that Alfredo Aceves (clavicle) recently threw two bullpen sessions and will come to spring training with no restrictions.

Aceves signed a major league deal with the Red Sox this week. The 28-year-old right-hander had surgery in late-November to repair a fractured left clavicle suffered in a bicycle accident, but it sounds like he's right on track for spring training. Though he pitched almost exclusively in relief with the Yankees, the Red Sox are looking at him as insurance for their starting rotation.

Red Sox signed RHP Alfredo Aceves to a one-year, $650,000 contract.

He could make another $100,000 based on appearances. Aceves, 28, only made 10 appearances for the Bombers last season due to a back injury, but has a 3.21 ERA and 87/30 K/BB ratio over 126 innings in the big leagues. Assuming he can bounce back from a broken clavicle, he could be a nice find in a middle relief role.