Red Sox on Verge of Making First Big Offseason Signing

New Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has already been busy during his first couple of weeks on the job. And while he's yet to make a major move yet with the Boston Red Sox, one appears to be coming soon.

Red Sox Rumors

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox are close to signing Andrew Bailey to be their new pitching coach. He's in line to replace Dave Bush, who was fired earlier this offseason after four years in the role.

This update doesn't come as a surprise, as Bailey has been rumored to be the favorite for weeks. Given Bailey's history with Breslow, this move only seems like a matter of time.

Similar to Breslow, Bailey is also a former relief pitcher. The two were teammates with the Oakland A's from 2009-2011 and again with the Red Sox in 2012 and 2013, so they've already spent a ton of time together. They also founded the Strike 3 Foundation -- a non-profit charity focused on pediatric cancer research.

Bailey enjoyed a successful eight-year playing career that included an AL Rookie of the Year award in 2009 and two All-Star appearances, as he was one of the better closers in baseball at his peak. Since retiring after the 2017 season, he served as the Los Angeles Angels' bullpen coach in 2019 and the San Francisco Giants' pitching coach from 2020-2023.

Given his previous experience in Boston and relationship with Breslow, the 39-year-old Bailey seems like a great fit for the role. He also has a track record of success with the Giants, helping their pitchers post the third-best ERA (4.02) in the National League last year. Hopefully he'll have some ideas on how to improve the Red Sox's pitching staff, which regressed during Bush's tenure and had the fifth-worst ERA in the American League last year (4.52).

A Breslow-Bailey reunion seems like a perfect match, so don't be surprised if it becomes official soon.

Caesars Sportsbook is the perfect match for sports bettors with their exclusive $1,000 offer. New users who sign up through the Chowder and Champions link below and bet $10+ will get a bonus matching the size of that first bet if it doesn't win, all the way up to $1,000. Sign up for Caesars Sportsbook now to cash in!

In other Red Sox news: