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Red Sox send three players to minor leagues

Catcher Dan Butler was optioned to Triple A Pawtucket on Sunday. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff)The Boston Globe

The Red Sox had another round of roster moves Sunday morning. Catcher Daniel Butler, who is on the 40-man roster, was optioned to Triple A Pawtucket.

Lefthander Rich Hill and righthanders Jon Ely and Dalier Hinojosa, who are all non-roster invitees, were reassigned to minor league camp. Lefthander Jose Mijares was released.

Butler, one of five catchers on the 40-man, could be called up if needed, manager John Farrell said.

“I had a good feel for what he is. And continues to show that every time he walks on the field,” Farrell said. “And was we mentioned to him on the way out, if the need were to arise. We’ve got one of three catchers that we feel are a foul tip away, to come up and replace someone if that need were to happen. So Daniel’s clearly in that mix.”

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Farrell said he was impressed with the job Hill did to catch up to other pitchers in camp. Hill did not report until March 6 after the Feb. 24 death of his infant son, Brooks, who was born Dec. 26.

“It’s going to take a little more time to get back to the arm strength that we typically know him at to have,” Farrell said. “So innings are starting to dry up a little more now that the starters are getting deeper, so that was the move made.”

Hinojosa will pitch out of the bullpen for Pawtucket. Ely, who hasn’t pitched this spring because of injury, will remain in Fort Myers in extended spring training.

The Sox have not yet targeted a date to have the roster at 25. The Sox now have 35 players in big league camp, including 30 players from the 40-man roster, and five non-roster invitees.

■   Craig Breslow will pitch in a minor league game on Monday. It will be his first appearance in a game this spring, after being delayed because of last season’s increased workload.

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■   Jake Peavy is scheduled to start Monday. Instead of traveling to Sarasota to face the Orioles, though, he will pitch in a minor league game at the complex. The Sox are scheduled to host the Orioles’ Single-A teams.

■   Jon Lester will do the same on Wednesday when the Sox host an Orioles split-squad team at Fenway South. He will start in a minor league game, when the Sox are scheduled to host the Twins’ Single-A teams. Although it still has not been officially announced. Lester is on schedule to start Opening Day in Baltimore.

■   Asked if the Sox were still looking for roster additions, Farrell replied:

“I like the team we have. I think we have a very good team. And yet Ben [Cherington] will never rest on ways that could upgrade the roster, but my thought is we’re heading into Monday’s’ opener with the guys that are here in camp.”

■   Grady Sizemore is starting in center field, batting lead off Sunday. It is the first of three scheduled consecutive days for him. He has not played as many as three days in a row since July 2011.