Bailey, Kalish non-tendered by Red Sox

BOSTON -- The Red Sox non-tendered two players who had a hard time staying healthy the last couple of years -- right-handed reliever Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Kalish.

It was hardly a surprise to see Boston non-tender Bailey, considering he is still recovering from the surgery he underwent on his right shoulder in July and that there's no certainty he will be ready for the start of the 2014 season.

If they had tendered Bailey a contract, the Red Sox would have been looking at a contract of roughly $4.5 million.

The Sox traded for Bailey in December 2011, hoping that he could replace Jonathan Papelbon as the closer.

But Bailey underwent surgery on his thumb before the 2012 season even started and was inconsistent once he returned.

Though Bailey did show flashes of brilliance in both a setup role and in some closing opportunities in 2013, there were also many nights that he struggled.

His surgery took place shortly after the All-Star break, ending his second season in Boston.

Kalish has had even more injury problems than Bailey. Since April 2011, when he sustained a neck injury on a vicious collision, he has had one ailment after another.

He wasn't yet eligible for arbitration, so the move to non-tender him wasn't financial but a way for Boston to free a roster spot.

Bailey and Kalish are now free agents, meaning they can sign with any Major League team, including the Red Sox.

The Red Sox did tender contracts to their other 26 unsigned players.

Boston's 40-man roster is now at 38.

A two-time All-Star closer with the Athletics, Bailey never pitched at that level for the Red Sox, going 4-2 with a 4.91 ERA over 49 games.

Kalish was drafted by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. As he came up through the farm system, many compared him with former fan favorite Trot Nixon because of his hard-nosed style of play.

But aside from 2010, when Kalish got 179 at-bats for the Red Sox, he was never healthy enough to develop into the player the club had hoped. He is still only 25 years old, meaning it's possible he can still reach his potential.

Kalish, who underwent surgery on his right shoulder last winter and then cervical fusion surgery in August, didn't play a game in the Majors or Minors in 2013.