Red Sox activate right-hander Andrew Bailey from 60-day DL

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today activated right-handed pitcher Andrew Bailey from the 60-day disabled list.  Bailey will be active for tonight’s game against the Orioles in Baltimore.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington. 

Bailey, 28, was placed on the 60-day disabled list to begin the season and has missed the club’s first 116 games while recovering from surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb performed on April 4.  He combined for a 1.42 ERA (1 ER/6.1 IP) with 10 strikeouts compared to one walk over six rehab appearances between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox, Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.  Acquired from Oakland on December 28, 2011, the right-hander converted 24 of 26 save opportunities (92.3 percent) for the A’s in 2011, the second-highest success rate among American League closers, and posted a 3.24 ERA (15 ER/41.2 IP) with 41 strikeouts in 42 relief appearances overall with Oakland last season.  Selected by the A’s in the sixth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Bailey has posted a 2.07 career ERA (40 ER/174.0 IP) while converting 75 of 84 (89.3) save opportunities in three Major League seasons from 2009-11, the second-lowest ERA among American League relievers (min. 125.0 innings) and third-highest save percentage (min. 40 chances) in the AL in that three-year span.