Bobby Jenks signs with Red Sox

[elcheato]

Bobby Jenks is changing his Sox from white to red.

The former Chicago White Sox closer agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, pending a physical, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

Jenks has been told he'll be a set-up man in 2011 and will have a chance to be the closer after Jonathan Papelbon is replaced, the source said.

The Red Sox had earlier made a run at closer Mariano Rivera and were ready to non-tender Papelbon if they signed him, a source had told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes. But when Rivera re-signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox tendered a contract to Papelbon, who was paid $9.35 million last season and is arbitration-eligible, which will drive his salary into eight figures.

Papelbon is a year away from free agency.

Jenks became a free agent when he was non-tendered by the White Sox earlier this month.

The move had been expected since Jenks struggled with injuries that affected his performance in the second half of 2010. Jenks, who made $7.5 million last season, was in his last year of being arbitration eligible. He could have received an arbitration award in the neighborhood of $9 million in 2011.

Jenks saved 27 games for the White Sox last season but posted a career-worst 4.44 ERA in 52 2/3 innings.

He struggled a bit last year, we'll see if he regains form.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

Nice signing, our pen could use some help.