BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Red Sox added seven players to their 40-man roster on Saturday, general manager Theo Epstein announced.

The Red Sox purchased the contracts of lefthander Juan Cedeno, righthander Manny Delcarmen, righthander Luis Mendoza, shortstop Hanley Ramirez, righthander Anibal Sanchez, catcher Kelly Shoppach and righthander Chris Smith.

With the additions, the team has 31 players on its 40-man roster.

Cedeno has pitched four seasons in Red Sox farm teams since he signed as a non-drafted free agent in January 2001. He is 19-23 with a 3.83 ERA in 73 appearances and 64 starts.

Delcarmen, a 22-year-old Boston native, went 3-6 with a 4.68 ERA in 19 appearances last season with Single-A Sarasota after Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2003.

Luis Mendoza, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, appeared at Sarasota for the first time in his career and pitched all of 2004 with the Single-A club, going 8-7 with a 3.74 ERA in 25 starts. He signed with Boston in July 2000.

Hanley Ramirez, a native of the Dominican Republic, is a career .314 hitter over four minor league seasons in the Red Sox chain. He went to Double-A Portland last season, where he posted a .310 batting average.

Anibal Sanchez, 20, went 3-4 with a 1.77 ERA in 15 starts at short-season Single-A Lowell, earning the club’s 2004 Pitcher of the Year honors. He missed all of 2003 after Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Kelly Shoppach, 24, was Boston’s first overall pick in the second round, and 48th overall, in the 2001 Draft. He is a career .261 hitter with 44 home runs and 190 RBI in three professional seasons.

Lefthander Chris Smith, 23, went 5-2 with a 3.75 ERA in 14 starts at Portland in 2004, his first stop at Double-A. He was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2002 Draft.

AP-ES-11-20-04 2023EST