Scott Atchison was among the players the Sox sent to the minors on Friday. (AP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Relievers Scott Atchison, Rich Hill, Randy Williams, Brandon Duckworth and Michael Bowden were all cut from the major league camp Friday afternoon. Atchison and Bowden were optioned to Triple-A, while Hill, Williams and Duckworth (who signed minor league deals with the Sox) were reassigned to minor league camp.

Outfielder Ryan Kalish was also optioned to minor league camp, and left-hander Andrew Miller had been told a few days ago that he, too, was being reassigned to minor league camp, where he will work as a starter for Triple-A Pawtucket in order to maximize his repetitions in games while also having a side day to be able to work on his delivery.

Atchison, who spent much of 2010 in the Red Sox bullpen, was arguably the most surprising of the cuts. In 43 appearances last year, he had a 4.50 ERA, and towards the end of the season was used as a setup man in front of Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard. But the Sox bolstered their relief corps in the offseason by signing Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler, and with Atchison still having one minor league option remaining, the Sox sent the 35-year-old right-hander down.

“It’s never easy,” Atchison said. “I felt like I showed them what I can do. … The situation is what it is.”

Atchison pitched in seven games this spring, totaling 8 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits, striking out four and walking four. Bowden appeared in seven games, pitching 9 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking three.

Hill, who was optimistic after altering his arm angle again in the past few days, didn’t allow an earned run in 8 2/3 innings (7 games) in Grapefruit League action. Nor did he permit an earned run in six big league appearances with the Sox last season. But the Sox are in a position to stash the lefty in the minors, since his opt-out is not until the middle of the summer.

Williams, who like Hill is a lefty, gave up three earned runs in 9 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking four. Duckworth had a 4.50 ERA, nine strikeouts and six walks in 10 innings.

Infielders Drew Sutton and Nate Spears will both travel with the Sox to Wednesday’s exhibition game in Houston, but both have been told they will open the year in the minors.

The Sox now have five pitchers left in camp with two openings in their bullpen. Alfredo Aceves, Matt Albers, Hideki Okajima, Dennys Reyes and Felix Doubront are the pitchers who have not yet been told their Opening Day fate, though Doubront will either start in the minors or remain in Fort Myers while rehabbing. Albers (out of options) and Reyes (minor league contract with March 26 opt-out date) both have an advantage from a contractual standpoint; Aceves (2) and Okajima (3) both have options remaining.