"John Smoltz, the veteran righthander who was designated for assignment Friday after eight underwhelming starts with the Red Sox, has cleared waivers, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney.

Smoltz, who won 210 games and saved 154 during his stellar 20-year career with the Atlanta Braves, was just 2-5 with an 8.33 earned-run average for the Sox. He was designated for assignment after allowing nine hits and eight earned runs in 3.1 innings during the Red Sox' 13-6 loss to the Yankees Thursday night.

The Red Sox have until this Sunday to release Smoltz, trade him, or send him to the minors. If he is sent to the minors, it probably would be to prepare him to work out of the bullpen in September. He is due to remainder of the $5.5 million, one-year deal he signed in January."