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TORONTO -- The Red Sox on Tuesday activated right-hander Joel Hanrahan from the disabled list, but are sticking with Andrew Bailey in the closer's role for the time being.

While incumbent closer Hanrahan was sidelined for 15 days with a right hamstring strain, Bailey excelled as his replacement, going five for six in save chances. For the season, he has 20 strikeouts and a 1.46 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

Farrell broke the news to Hanrahan before Tuesday's game in Toronto.

"Obviously I've been out of the ballgame for 15 days and he says he's going to kind of work me back in," Hanrahan said. "Bailey's been doing a heck of a job. I told him that I'm comfortable with whatever you want to do. The way the team's playing right now, I just want to fit in and do my part to help. I'm just excited to be back."

The Red Sox have activated right-hander Joel Hanrahan (right hamstring strain) from the 15-day disabled list.

He will be available for tonight's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, but it's unknown whether he'll be used as the closer moving forward.

Manager John Farrell had declared Hanrahan was his closer unequivocally after he was acquired in a trade from the Pirates last winter, but with Andrew Bailey racking up a win and five saves while striking out 20 in 12 1/3 innings, Farrell could be leaning toward the hot hand.

In an interview with MLB Network Radio today, Farrell wouldn't confirm whether Bailey would in fact keep his job as Sox closer, but seemed to indicate he was leaning that way.

"[Hanrahan is] active today ... Before announcing what his role is, when he comes to the ballpark we'll have a chance to sit down. I did talk to him after his final appearance in Pawtucket, mostly and specifically on just physically feeling fine so we can go ahead and make the roster move. The one thing Joel is, he's honest with himself, and he understands what's going on here. And the fact is if he's healthy he's going to make us a better team. But until I have a chance to sit down and talk with him directly and say 'Hey, I think this is maybe the way we should go for the short-term,' we'll probably wait until we meet in person here this afternoon."

Hanrahan, 31, is 0-1 with three saves, an 11.57 ERA (6 ER/4.2 IP), and four strikeouts over six relief outings for the Red Sox this season.

To make room for him on the 25-man roster, right-hander Daniel Bard was optioned to Double-A Portland after Sunday’s win against Houston.

Bard, 27, made two relief appearances for Boston after his April 24 recall, allowing one run on one hit and two walks with one strikeout in 1.0 inning of work.

BOSTON -- Red Sox left-hander Franklin Morales has been shut down with a pectoral strain, manager John Farrell said Saturday.

Morales, originally placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, was well into a rehab that began with extended spring training games and included a three-inning appearance for Class A Greenville on April 17. However, he was scratched from a scheduled rehab outing for Double-A Portland earlier in the week, and an MRI later revealed the strain.

Farrell said that the shut-down period will last five days. Thursday was the first day, meaning Morales may be able to start a new throwing program by Tuesday. Given Morales' shoulder issues at the end of the 2012 season and various ailments this spring, there will be no rush to the process.

"How long it takes remains to be seen," Farrell said.

As Morales progressed earlier this month he was a nice candidate, along with Alfredo Aceves, to pick up spot starts in the event of injuries. Aceves has since been demoted to Triple-A Pawtucket on the heels of a miserable outing, leaving Allen Webster, who made his major league debut Sunday against Kansas City, as a more likely candidate.

None of that matters if the Opening Day rotation remains intact once John Lackey returns Sunday for his first start since an injury-shortened outing in Toronto on April 6. The right-hander, who threw 3 2/3 innings Monday at Portland, is completely clear of any symptoms related to the biceps strain that shelved him.

Farrell would not put a number on how many pitches Lackey can throw but said he should be good to reach the middle innings, provided Lackey is effective.

As for that effectiveness, Farrell expects to see it. He said that Lackey, in the limited time since his return from Tommy John surgery, has looked a lot like he did in a solid second half of 2010.

"Whether in spring training or the first start back in Toronto, I see a guy who's pitching much like he did in the second half of that year," Farrell said.

Lackey had a 3.97 ERA in 15 starts after the All-Star break in 2010, eventually leading the staff in starts and innings pitched.

In other injury news:

* Right fielder Shane Victorino remains out of the lineup for the third straight game and is questionable for Sunday as he wrestles with a back issue. Farrell indicated that there is a good chance that Victorino will sit again Sunday and the team can then utilize Monday's day off to give him an extended break and "get ahead of this" injury.

The assumption is that Ryan Lavarnway will be sent down to make room on the roster for Lackey, but nothing is set in stone until Victorino improves.

"[Lavarnway's] spot could be the one that's adjusted for John. We have to get through the next 48 hours with Shane as well to determine any other moves," Farrell said.

Jackie Bradley Jr. made a rare start in right field for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday and was penciled into that spot again Saturday, a strong indication that the organization is making preparations for a more extended period of time without Victorino.

* Right-hander Joel Hanrahan, sidelined with a hamstring strain, felt a slight twinge on one pitch in his rehab outing with Pawtucket on Friday, but otherwise got through his one inning of work just fine. He allowed two runs on two hits, including a homer, and struck out one. Hanrahan will make one more rehab appearance Sunday and could rejoin the team when it begins a six-game road trip in Toronto on Tuesday.

* Also continuing to rehab this weekend is Craig Breslow, who will throw both Saturday and Sunday as he works his way back from a shoulder issue. Breslow failed to record an out and gave up three runs in his first outing Tuesday in Portland.

CLEVELAND -- Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan had hinted Monday afternoon that this might be coming, that a trip to the disabled list could not be avoided.

“It’s a possibility, if I go out there and try to throw,’’ he said. “The last two days all I’ve done is treatment. It’s kind of a wait-and-see deal.’’

The waiting ended Tuesday, when the Sox placed Hanrahan on the disabled list, retroactive to Sunday, with what the team is calling a strained right hamstring. He will be eligible to come off for Boston’s game in Toronto on April 30.

“He needs five to seven days to have the hamstring discomfort subside,’’ manager John Farrell said Tuesday. “We look for him to start a throwing program at that point. That’s where we’re at.’’

To take Hanrahan's place on the roster, the Red Sox called up knuckleballer Steven Wright from Pawtucket. Wright had been in the starting rotation for the PawSox, holding opposing hitters to a .167 average (6-for-36) in three starts, but he’ll be used as a long man out of the pen by the Sox.

Andrew Bailey, who gave up the game-tying run in the ninth on Monday, the first time he has been scored upon this season, but was credited with the win when Mike Napoli hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the inning, will continue as closer in the interim.

“Yeah, I’m ready to rock and roll,’’ Bailey said. “It’s what every reliever loves doing, closing. Hopefully we keep playing the way we are. We’re playing good baseball right now and that’s really where the focus is.

“In spring training we said we have a great bullpen, now it’s time to put our money where our mouth is. The way the starters are throwing the baseball is unbelievable. As a bullpen, we've got to keep doing what we’re doing: plugging along, getting outs when we need them.’’

Hanrahan said he first experienced soreness in the hamstring in his second outing of the season, April 3 in New York, when he recorded his first save of 2013. He pitched four more times thereafter, but gave up three ninth-inning home runs over two outings against the Orioles last week, then was yanked after walking the first two batters in the ninth inning Saturday against Tampa Bay.

The day after that appearance, Farrell indicated that the sore hamstring had affected the pitcher’s leg lift and was throwing off his mechanics. The Sox had hoped it would be just a couple of days, but with the hamstring not responding to treatment, the team shut him down.

Hanrahan was an All-Star in each of the last two seasons in Pittsburgh, accumulating 76 saves in that span. But that did not keep at least one Boston-area website and TV station from conducting fan polls asking who Boston’s closer should be. Hanrahan wasn’t surprised.

“They did that before I came, didn’t they?’’ he said. “I’m used to it.

“Every city is like that, believe it or not.’’

Well, Pittsburgh really wasn’t. “When I was first closer there, I ran off like 20 in a row,’’ he said. “They didn’t have a problem there.’’

BOSTON -- For the second time in three days, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell has had to come to the defense of his beleaguered closer, Joel Hanrahan. If the hard-throwing right-hander cannot solve his current issues, he may not get that support much longer.

Hanrahan followed up an explosive blown save in his previous outing by walking the only two men he faced in the ninth inning of Boston's 10-inning, 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. Farrell had seen enough, summoning Koji Uehara, who stifled the threat in spectacular fashion. But the questions surrounding Hanrahan's struggles remained after the walk-off victory.

Farrell provided the best answer he could.

"No, no move is going to be made," he said. "Joel's going through a little bit of a spell."

Farrell thought that part of that spell included some "careful" pitching Saturday. While Farrell insisted he has seen nothing mechanically wrong with Hanrahan, the closer suggested otherwise, hinting that a focused video session with pitching coach Juan Nieves might help. In the meantime, he's focusing on the basics.

"I'm not really worried about it," he said. "Just got to go out and throw strikes."

That's been the primary issue. Only four of Hanrahan's 12 offerings Saturday were strikes. Just over half of his 32 deliveries Thursday were strikes, and two of those were hit a country mile. He has recorded just two outs in 44 pitches in his past two games, and has walked 15 batters in 13 2/3 innings dating to the end of last season.

Meanwhile, some of those surrounding Hanrahan are producing effortless outings. Uehara and Andrew Bailey remain unscored upon in a combined 8 2/3 innings. For now, they are joining Farrell in throwing support behind the man the organization traded for in December.

"We'll put it together and be the best pen in the big leagues, for sure," Bailey said. "He's our guy down there."

Naturally, Bailey is a good fall-back option. He came to Boston as the team's new closer before an injury in spring training derailed his 2011 campaign, but he has plenty of closing experience and looks to finally be throwing the ball the way he did during two All-Star campaigns with the Oakland Athletics. Uehara has not allowed a run in 19 straight outings, an impressive stat that would boost his candidacy.

If a change is made, it's not as if Hanrahan goes to a factory to get an adjustment. He still has to work out the kinks in game action, and Farrell insisted he is "not going to deviate" from the initial plan.

"There are certain roles," he said.

With the continued support of his skipper and some time spent watching tape, perhaps Hanrahan will begin to embrace his.

BOSTON -- A day after Joel Hanrahan blew a ninth-inning lead in explosive fashion, Red Sox manager John Farrell continued to support his hard-throwing righty.

“He’s our closer,” Farrell stressed in the hours before the Sox were to play the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a three-game set at Fenway Park.

Hanrahan gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning in Boston’s 8-5 loss Wednesday night, serving up a pair of homers that ran his total in that category to three in just 4 2/3 innings this season. It’s been an auspicious beginning to his Red Sox career for Hanrahan, who also limped to the finish line in 2012 with Pittsburgh, where he had an ERA of 5.00 and 10 walks in nine innings last September.

That is far too small a sample size for Farrell to make any rash decisions.

“I think Joel is well aware of what took place last night,” Farrell said, before stressing the confidence he has in those who will fill in while Hanrahan sits following a 32-pitch outing. “Yeah, we do [have a lot of options]. With Andrew Bailey, with [Koji] Uehara, [Junichi] Tazawa, obviously [Andrew] Miller ready to go tonight, [Clayton] Mortensen is available. We’ve got a full complement behind Alfredo [Aceves]. If in fact we need to stay away from Joel tonight just to give him some recovery, we feel confident we can build back to a guy that’s had a lot of closing experience in the past.”

Hanrahan’s implosion Wednesday denied him of his 100th career save. All but three of those were recorded with a bad Washington team or in Pittsburgh, where losing was a habit and the pressure of the ninth-inning shutdown may not have been the same as it is under the bright lights of Fenway Park (even on a night when the sellout streak comes to an end).

Hanrahan did have three scoreless innings on the road before the Orioles tagged him for six runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings in two appearances at home.

Farrell recognizes the difference in market size from Pittsburgh to Boston. He also recognizes a ninth-inning mentality that exists no matter where the save opportunity arises and can, at times, contribute to an unhealthy uptick in adrenaline.

“I think it points more toward aggressiveness,” he said when asked what contributed to the blown save. “Any time you overthrow a little bit you’re going to sacrifice some location for velocity. By no means would we ask Joel to try to throw with less velocity, but prioritizing location is really any pitcher’s goal going in. We recognize that those ninth innings, there’s a lot of adrenaline to harness. He’s had a lot of success doing that. Last night was a game that unfortunately got away from him.”

In addition to harnessing that adrenaline, Hanrahan may be going through an adjustment period that has hindered countless pitchers who move from the National League to the American League. Farrell called AL lineups “a different animal” than those in the senior circuit, and the early home run rate against Hanrahan suggest as much.

In other news:

* There is no specific pitch count on Alfredo Aceves, who threw 56 in relief of John Lackey on Saturday and maxed out at 36 in spring training.

“I think the way the game unfolds and the stress with the pitches that he throws will have a lot to do with when his night is over,” Farrell said. “Hopefully that’s later rather than sooner. But we’re confident with him going to the mound here. ... Without giving a hard number, we’re hoping he’s walking out for the sixth inning or beyond.”

Aceves has not started since June 21, 2011. He threw a career-high 98 pitches in that game.

* The Red Sox are aiming to win their third straight series to start the season for the first time since 1952. The last time the club won that many series in a row at any time was -- remarkably -- last season, when it took five straight in June.

* Boston has struck out at least 10 batters in five straight games, matching the longest streak in franchise history. Not a coincidence, says Farrell.

“I think it’s a reflection of the type of stuff we have,” he said. “I think overall it’s a matter of the talent that our pitching staff has, the swing-and-miss ability, and very good secondary pitches that they have.”

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The second spring training season at the JetBlue Park at Fenway South in the Fort is in the books.

The Red Sox finished spring training with an irrelevant 17-17-1 record following a 4-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox sold out all 17 Grapefruit League games and all 32 in the two-year history of JetBlue Park. The Red Sox drew 164,840 fans in 17 home games, averaging 9,696 fans per game.

The Red Sox depart Fort Myers bound for New York City this evening with a couple of unexpected passengers on the team flight:

* Jose Iglesias, who was expected to begin the season in Triple-A Pawtucket, will make the team at shortstop while free agent signee Stephen Drew recovers from a concussion suffered March 7 against the Twins. Iglesias went 1-for-3 on Saturday.

"I'm glad to be here," Iglesias said. "I'm just hoping to help the team win some ballgames."

* Manager John Farrell informed Clayton Mortensen he would make the team in the bullpen. Mortensen had a 5.23 spring ERA with seven strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings of work.

* Farrell informed outfield prospect Jackie Bradley Jr., who turns 23 on April 19, to pack his bags and board the plane as well.

Farrell, however, still fell short of naming Bradley Jr. to the Opening Day 25-man roster, as the Red Sox need to clear space on the 40-man roster in order to do so. That announcement is expected to arrive by Sunday afternoon.

Bradley went 0-for-2 and struck out swinging with the bases loaded in his final Grapefruit League game of 2013. But he finished spring training hitting.419 (26-for-62) with a .507 on-base percentage and .613 slugging percentage.

* Lefty starter Felix Doubront struck out six, walked one and gave up six hits in five scoreless innings of work. He finished spring training with a 3.00 ERA.

"He got better as the outing went along," Farrell said. "We've seen it more than a couple of times this spring. He gets into that third inning and gets into a better rhythm. He continued to stick with that."

* Farrell gave no hints as to what the starting lineup will look like Monday at Yankee Stadium other than to look at the previous two spring training lineups.

"You've probably seen something quite similar the past couple of days," Farrell said.

* Daniel Nava started at designated hitter and had the only multi-hit game for the Red Sox, going 2-for-3. Most of the starters had just three at-bats. Some had only two.

"Guys are cutting back on some of their at-bats and getting some of their personal thing arranged," Farrell explained. "But it's been very productive. We're looking forward to Monday and beyond."

* Closer Joel Hanrahan got himself into a bases-loaded jam but still earned the save, pitching the ninth inning. He struck out one, walked one and gave up one run off two hits, finishing spring training with a 7.56 ERA.

* Relief pitcher Craig Breslow, who will begin the season on the disabled list, will accompany the team to New York and return to Fort Myers on Tuesday for rehabilitation work in extended spring training games. Breslow was born in New Haven, Conn. He said he grew up about 20 minutes from Sandy Hook Elementary School and that he wanted to be on hand for the Opening Day ceremonies in New York that will pay tribute to the victims and survivors of the school shooting.

* The flurry of players to potentially take in their first Opening Day in big league uniforms had left fielder Jonny Gomes going down memory lane.

Gomes played his first big league game in 2003 for the Tampa Bay Rays but did not break camp with the Rays until 2006.

"Every story is different, you know," Gomes said. "It wasn't a goal. It was a dream. Like goals, you really think you're going to reach. I fought like [crazy]. My junior college didn't have any spot for me. I kept going and going. So it really wasn't a goal. It was a dream."

Entering the 2005 spring training, Gomes was coming off a season in Triple-A Durham in which he hit 26 home runs with 75 RBIs.

"I got to camp thinking I had a chance," Gomes said. "Didn't get called up until after the All-Star break. Then I finished third in the rookie of the year voting behind Huston Street and Robinson Cano. That was a pretty big deal."

In 2006, Gomes finally had his first Opening Day moment, the moment Mortensen, Iglesias, third baseman Will Middlebrooks and most likely Bradley Jr. all will experience at 1:05 p.m. Monday at Yankee Stadium.

"Every story is different," Gomes said. "Some guys are expecting to make it. I wasn't one of them. I break it down to odds. I break it down to everything. My first Opening Day, I already had 20-plus homers in the big leagues. I kept everything. I kept my bat, a ball, my hat, I kept everything.

"I think about doctors. You can argue that I had an internship since I was like 4, with T-ball. You're talking about a 20-year internship. And then in the minor leagues, I was making $850 a month, and I had to pay $350 of that for rent. It's unbelievable."

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- At this stage of spring training, you can’t make it any more basic than Joel Hanrahan did.

“Really, I try not to embarrass myself," he said. “Throw strikes, and hope to feel good the next day."

Hanrahan was John Farrell’s choice to start the first exhibition action of the spring, the traditional doubleheader against Northeastern and Boston College. The Sox manager made it a bullpen day, cycling his relievers through 14 innings of work.

That was a departure from Hanrahan’s usual protocol, which he described thusly:
Second inning: stretch in the trainers’ room.
Fifth inning: Head out to the bullpen.
Sixth inning: Red Bull.
Eighth inning: Get up to stretch and jog, in anticipation of a ninth-inning call.


Thursday? Hanrahan, who was a starter throughout the minors and in his first year in the big leagues (2007), found his biggest problem was showing up early Thursday morning, then trying to fill the time until his first pitch to Northeastern. A called strike, incidentally, to Northeastern right-fielder Aaron Barbosa, who subsequently hit a catchable ball to left that fell untouched between Jonny Gomes and Jacoby Ellsbury, who assumed he was just backing up on the play.

“Bad execution of a pitch by me," Hanrahan said. “I had the guy 0-and-2, tried to go up on him, and threw it right down the middle."

Barbosa subsequently stole second base, but advanced no further.

“I think I heard the guy on second base tell Pedey he closed his eyes [on his hit]," Hanrahan said.

Hanrahan struck out two, hit a batter, and threw 17 pitches total, 13 for strikes.

“I was happy with how it went," he said. “I didn’t plan on hitting that kid [NU shortstop Jason Vosler, who took one in the leg]. Poor guy. But I threw strikes for the most part, and I was happy with that."

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Went up to Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan just before the clubhouse closed Thursday morning.

“Sorry, don’t talk on days I start,’’ he deadpanned.

Just checking, I said. Since he was a new guy, I wanted to learn what protocol I needed to observe.

“They didn’t have media the last time I started,’’ he said as I walked away. “They don’t have media in semipro ball.’’

In truth, it hasn’t been that long since Hanrahan started. He was drafted at 18 by the Dodgers as a starter and remained a starting pitcher until 2007, when he made it to the big leagues with Washington and went 5-3 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 games, 11 of them starts.

The following season he went to the bullpen, and it has only been the last two years in Pittsburgh that he found his niche as a closer.

Hanrahan will pitch an inning as a starter against Northeastern in just a couple of hours.

When the full weight of Tampa Bay shortstop Reid Brignac toppled onto the right shoulder of Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury last April 13 as he was sliding into second base, it cost Ellsbury more than the 79 games he missed with a partially dislocated shoulder.

The injury conservatively cost Ellsbury at least $5 million, the raise he could have expected in salary arbitration had he come close to approximating his career performance when healthy. The Sox center fielder could have reasonably expected millions more had his 2012 performance approached his breakout 2011 season, when he was MVP runner-up.

Had Ellsbury remained healthy, he would have compared favorably in arbitration to two outfielders who have had similar service time in the major leagues, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones and San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence. The Orioles last summer signed Jones, who had a breakout 2012 (32 home runs, .334 OBP, .505 SLG, .839 OPS) to a six-year, $85.5 million extension that averages $14.25 million a season. Pence is expected to command between $13 million and $14 million in arbitration from the Giants, after a season in which he hit 24 home runs and posted a .319/.425/.743 line.

Jones and Pence, like Ellsbury, have been All-Stars, but neither player has had a season as spectacular as the one Ellsbury had in 2011, when he hit 32 home runs, stole 39 bases and posted a .376/.552/.928 line. But neither has missed the playing time Ellsbury has in two of the past three seasons. Ellsbury played in just 18 games in 2010 after colliding with third baseman Adrian Beltre and fracturing his ribs.

So Ellsbury, who is in his third and final year of arbitration eligibility before qualifying for free agency after the 2013 season, is probably looking at only a slight increase over the $8.05 million he was paid in 2012, when his salary jumped from $2.04 million. A much bigger payday will come in free agency, assuming he returns to form. If that happens, agent Scott Boras can be expected to push Ellsbury into the $20 million to $25 million per year range occupied by outfielders Josh Hamilton and Carl Crawford.

It is for that reason the Sox and Boras have not engaged in talks regarding a contract extension. Having missed so much time, Ellsbury needs to make his case that he deserves to be near the top of baseball's salary bracket; the Sox wouldn't think of paying him at that level now.

Ellsbury is one of nine Red Sox players eligible to file for arbitration, with the players' association notifying MLB by Jan. 15 of the players filing, a formality. Three days later, on Jan. 18, teams and players exchange salary figures. If a team and arbitration-eligible player cannot reach an agreement, the case goes to an arbitration hearing, and a three-man panel chooses one of the two salary figures. Hearings are scheduled from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20.

Last winter, 142 players filed for arbitration. Only seven cases went to a hearing last February, with teams winning five of those. Teams have won the majority of cases in 14 of the past 16 years.

The other Sox players eligible for arbitration are catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and seven pitchers. The nine Sox players are listed here, along with the salaries projected for them by MLBtraderumors.com, using a formula the website has devised to project salaries of arbitration-eligible players: Ellsbury ($8.1 million), Saltalamacchia ($3.9M), Andrew Bailey ($3.9M), Joel Hanrahan ($6.9M), Alfredo Aceves ($2.6M), Daniel Bard ($1.6M), Andrew Miller ($1.4M), Franklin Morales ($1.4M) and Craig Breslow ($2.4M). Hanrahan, like Ellsbury, is in his last year of arbitration eligibility and can expect a significant bump from the $4.1 million he was paid by Pittsburgh in 2012. Saltalamacchia is also just a year away and is in line for an increase from the $2.5 million he was paid in 2012.

Bailey increased his salary eight-fold last winter, when he was signed by Boston for $3.9 million in his first year of eligibility after being paid $465,000 by Oakland in 2011. But his injury-shortened season and ineffective performance are likely to keep his salary static in 2013.

The Red Sox acquired their 2013 closer by trading for Joel Hanrahan last week, a decision likely based on the 36 saves and 2.72 ERA he posted last year. But does he really have the stuff of an elite ninth-inning guy?

Let's look closer at his stats.

Hanrahan’s sub-3.00 ERA and batting average allowed of .187 were supported by an unusually high strand rate and low BABIP, two factors that will make it difficult for Hanrahan to replicate his 2012 season in 2013.

His percentage of baserunners stranded (89.7 percent) and BABIP (.230) both ranked in the top five among NL relievers with at least 50 innings last season and were far removed from his career averages of 75 percent and .306.

Though Hanrahan had an above-average strikeout rate in 2012, his walk rate jumped from six percent in 2011 to 14 percent in 2012 (fifth-highest in MLB) and his groundball rate fell by nearly 15 percentage points over the last two seasons.

This combination of statistics partly contributed to a 4.45 FIP (an ERA estimate based on strikeouts, walks, and home runs allowed), which ranked 118th out of 134 relievers with at least 50 IP.

The difference between his ERA and FIP was 1.74 runs.

What does that mean for Hanrahan’s 2013 campaign?

Hanrahan explained this past Wednesday that the ankle injury he suffered late last season forced him to wear a tight brace that restricted his mechanics. He said he doesn’t believe the walks (which rose from 16 in 2011 to 36 in 2012) will be a concern in 2013.

The Red Sox said they looked very closely at the reasons for the increase in walks for Hanrahan. In fact, manager John Farrell already has spoken with Hanrahan about correcting those numbers. Hanrahan will also speak with Red Sox pitching coach Juan Nieves and bullpen coach Gary Tuck at some point this offseason.

"It's not something we're concerned about long term," assistant GM Brian O'Halloran said. "We believe we're going to get the guy that has been a great closer for two years. Although we did pay close attention to (the walks) and looked into that, we feel very comfortable and confident he will be a very good closer for us going forward."

In 2011, five relievers with at least 50 IP had a FIP that was at least 1.5 runs higher than his ERA, and then pitched at least 35 innings the following season (Luis Ayala, Scott Downs, Alfredo Aceves, Eric O’Flaherty, Francisco Cordero).

Each of them, except for Ayala, had their ERA nearly or more than double in 2012.

Information from ESPNBoston.com’s Joe McDonald was used in this report.

ESPN.com Insider Keith Law sizes up the Red Sox's trade for Joel Hanrahan (CLICK HERE -- Insider content) by saying the Sox didn't get much, but really didn't give up much either.

Law acknowledges that Hanrahan is coming off a terrible season, "posting his worst walk rate since 2007 while allowing 8 homers in just 59 innings, and now has just one year of control left, but will earn $6-7 million because of the way the arbitration process overvalues saves."

As for what the Red Sox gave up, Law calls it a "passel of suspects with only one guy in the group who might turn out to be an above-average player, and even that player, Stolmy Pimentel, is a real longshot. Pimentel has touched 96 mph with his fastball from time to time and shows an above-average changeup, but the lack of an average breaking ball and well below-average fastball command (despite a good delivery) have really held back his performance at Double-A; he repeated the level in 2012 and improved to a 4.59 ERA and a 17 percent strikeout rate. He could turn into a solid big league starter, and he's exactly the kind of longshot prospect the Pirates should try to get in any trade, but when he's the most interesting asset coming back to you it's not a great statement about your overall return."

Law notes that he doubts Red Sox fans will be sorry to see Mark Melancon go, says Jerry Sands is a bench player at best and that Ivan DeJesus "might surface as a utility player" but that's no guarantee.

Law also says he's surprised that the Sox received infielder Brock Holt. "He's probably a utility guy but does have a great history of hitting for average and high contact rates in the minors."

The Red Sox on Wednesday snuffed out any potential closer controversy before it could begin, saying that the newly acquired Joel Hanrahan will get the job and that incumbent Andrew Bailey will move to a setup role.

Red Sox assistant general manager Brian O'Halloran made the announcement on a conference call with reporters.

Bailey pitched ineffectively in his first year with the Red Sox. He had six saves in nine chances and posted a 7.04 ERA in just 15 1/3 innings. A freak thumb injury in spring training that required surgery kept him on the shelf for most of the season.

On Dec. 1, long before the Hanrahan move, Bailey told reporters he was looking forward to healthy season as the team's closer in 2013.

"They traded for me for a reason," he said. "Last year was very frustrating on a lot of counts. Even when I was healthy, I didn't do my job to my full expectations or the organization's expectations. I'm taking that into my offseason workout, knowing that I've got to hammer down games for this organization and this team and we've got to get to the playoffs.

"That's where my mindset is, and anything else happens, I'm just looking forward to throwing a lot of innings this year," he said. "My performance last year, I'll be the first to say wasn't who I was and wasn't anything I was proud of. This year I'm going to go out and do my job. I'm looking forward from Day 1 to the end of the World Series pitching for this organization."

For those of you who spent the weekend wrapping up holiday shopping or sipping egg nog with friends and family, you missed a few interesting developments on the Red Sox front.

The team moved toward acquiring closer Joel Hanrahan in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, while new doubt was cast on the finalization of the Mike Napoli deal, which has been in limbo for 21 days now. If the team doesn’t end up reaching a resolution with the Napoli, one of the potential first-base fallback options was taken off the table Sunday when Nick Swisher signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Cleveland Indians that also includes a $14 million option for a fifth season.

The waiting game on both Napoli and Hanrahan figures to drag on at least a few more days, a team source telling ESPNBoston.com he didn’t anticipate a trade before Christmas.

ESPN's Jim Bowden tweeted that the Sox would send minor league pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands to Pittsburgh for Hanrahan. Multiple industry sources indicated to ESPNBoston.com that the Sox also could include pitcher Mark Melancon. The deal could be finalized as soon as this week.

The news on the 31-year old Napoli wasn’t as encouraging. While the Red Sox remained mum on why the first baseman/catcher was still unsigned three weeks after news first broke of his three-year, $39 million agreement, multiple sources confirmed that concerns about Napoli's hip is the primary issue holding up the deal.

Napoli has been on the disabled list five times in his career, but never for a hip condition.

Simply adding contract language protecting the Sox in case the condition proves to be debilitating may not be enough to salvage the agreement, the sources said. Such contract language was inserted in prior deals the Sox did with outfielder J.D. Drew and pitcher John Lackey.

"I honestly don't think the outcome has been determined," said one source with direct knowledge of the negotiations when asked by ESPNBoston.com on Saturday whether the deal could fall through.

What will the Red Sox do if the sides can’t come to an agreement? The team doesn’t have any great internal options to play first base and the free-agent field is starting to run dry. With Swisher off the table, the next best option would seem to be 33-year-old Adam LaRoche, although he would cost the Sox a draft pick as compensation.

LaRoche, who declined Washington’s $13.3 million qualifying offer, hit 33 homers and drove in 100 runs in addition to winning the Gold Glove at first base this season for the Nationals. He is reportedly seeking a three-year offer. So far, Washington has only been willing to go to two years, according to reports.

The Red Sox also could wait to see if Washington signs LaRoche, which could make the Nationals amenable to moving outfielder/first baseman Michael Morse in a deal. Morse, who turns 31 in March, hit 31 home runs and batted .303 in 2011, when he last played regularly, then hit 18 home runs in 406 at-bats while batting .291 last season.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox were on the verge of a big addition to the bullpen. Hanrahan saved a total of 76 games over the past two seasons for the Pirates and is a year away from free agency. With incumbent closer Andrew Bailey still a question mark after a season in which he was injured for most of the year, then pitched ineffectively, it makes sense that the Sox would explore bullpen upgrades.

Hanrahan, an All-Star in each of the past two seasons, earned $4.1 million in 2012 and can expect a significant bump in salary arbitration, to close to $7 million. He would join a formidable corps of relievers that could include Bailey, Koji Uehara, Alfredo Aceves, Junichi Tazawa, Franklin Morales, Andrew Miller and perhaps Daniel Bard, if the righthander can regain his old form.

Elsewhere over the weekend, Cody Ross signed a three-year, $26 million deal with the Diamondbacks, officially ending his chances of coming back to Boston. There was mutual interest in a return to Fenway, but the Sox apparently weren’t willing to give him a third year. Arizona not only gave him three years, it also added a club option for a fourth season.

“We just couldn’t agree on terms,” Ross told reporters as to why he didn't re-sign with the the Red Sox. “At some point, just to be completely honest with you guys, they thought I was going to come back no matter what. ... I don’t know why [a return to Boston didn’t work out]. You have to ask [the Red Sox] why.”

The 32-year-old Ross hit .267 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs for the Red Sox in his first year in Boston. At Fenway he was outstanding, hitting .298 with 39 extra base hits and a .921 OPS.

Your turn: The Red Sox seem to be at a crossroads with Napoli and close to dealing for a late-innings pitcher who could very well be their closer for 2013. They also saw a couple of options -- Swisher and Ross -- come off the table. What’s your take on these situations? Vote in the polls above and share your thoughts in the comments section.

BOSTON -- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said Wednesday he was working on a number of fronts to improve the ballclub, and that evidently includes conversations with the Pittsburgh Pirates regarding closer Joel Hanrahan.

Multiple sources confirmed that the Sox and Pirates have had discussions regarding Hanrahan, who saved a total of 76 games over the last two seasons for the Pirates and is a year away from free agency. With incumbent closer Andrew Bailey still a question mark after a season in which he was injured for most of the year, then pitched ineffectively, it makes sense that the Sox would explore bullpen upgrades.

But Pittsburgh is looking for pitching, primarily starters, and one major league source said Pittsburgh is seeking a "significant return" for Hanrahan, an All-Star in each of the last two seasons. He earned $4.1 million in 2012 and can expect a significant bump in salary arbitration.

Bailey, who was paid $3.9 million in 2012, is entering his second year of salary arbitration and can expect only a slight bump -- if that -- after a season in which he recorded just six saves and had a 7.04 ERA. Bailey is not eligible for free agency until after the 2015 season, so it's not out of the question that the Sox would make him part of the package they would offer in return.

Boston's rotation would appear to be set with Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, John Lackey and Felix Doubront, so it's possible the Sox could offer left-hander Franklin Morales or right-hander Alfredo Aceves, or tap into their inventory of young arms, offering a Brandon Workman or Anthony Ranaudo. But that's speculation.

The Dodgers also have considerable interest in Hanrahan, and could offer proven starters like Chris Capuano or Aaron Harang in return.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com was the first to report of Boston's interest in Hanrahan.