Andrew Bailey will be demoted to setup man in the bullpen setup.
New Red Sox reliever Joel Hanrahan has reportedly been told he will be the closer.
Wasting no time in defusing a closer controversy, the Boston Red Sox have told newly acquired Joel Hanrahan he will be their man.
Red Sox assistant general manager Brian O'Halloran said in a conference call that the decision was made and that both Hanrahan and previous closer Andrew Bailey were informed.
Hanrahan was dealt by the Pittsburgh Pirates in a six-player deal that was finalized Wednesday. Physical examinations are all that is left in the process.
Hanrahan, 31, was a 2011 and 2012 All-Star. He slipped somewhat in 2012, mostly because of control issues, but still saved 36 games.
The Red Sox gave up minor league pitcher Stolmy Pimentel, major league reliever Mark Melancon, outfielder/first baseman Jerry Sands and infielder Ivan DeJesus. They received Hanrahan and second baseman Brock Holt, who hit .292 in 65 at-bats as a big league rookie in 2012
Sands and DeJesus came to Boston in the nine-player deal that sent Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August. Sands has put up big minor league numbers but struggled in the majors.
Announcement of the deal was not a surprise, but Boston's quick designation of Hanrahan as its closer was unexpected. It meant a demotion to setup man for Bailey, who was acquired from Oakland in a trade for Josh Reddick last year.
Bailey was sidelined until August after thumb surgery, then struggled mightily down the stretch. Most analysts still thought he would either show up in spring training as the closer, or would at least compete for the job with Hanrahan, who had 40 saves in his best year of 2011.
Hanrahan is eligible for arbitration. After making $4.1 million in 2012, he could earn $7 million in 2013.
A sleeper in the deal could be Holt, who is one of only two Pittsburgh rookies since 1900 to have a four-hit game in one of his first four games in the majors.
He was the MVP of the 2011 Eastern League all-star game, and possesses plate discipline that suits the Red Sox style.
Hanrahan provides the back end of what could be a formidable Red Sox bullpen, especially if Bailey rebounds in his new role.
Alfredo Aceves, left-hander Franklin Morales and newly acquired Koji Uehera also factor into the bullpen mix. Aceves did well as closer for half of the 2012 season, before sagging and giving way when Bailey returned.