McAdam: Compiling the Red Sox' remaining bullpen options

This could change, of course, but for now, it doesn't seem as though Craig Kimbrel is walking through the Red Sox' door again.

The Sox still need a closer and Kimbrel is available, but the two sides seem far apart when it comes to asking price. Kimbrel began the winter looking for a six-year, $100 million deal, and even though that's been scaled back some to reflect a soft market, it's apparently still too much for the Red Sox.

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski keeps reminding everyone that the Sox don't plan a "big expenditure'' for their bullpen vacancies.

Also, it would appear that Adam Ottavino, the next-best reliever still available in free agency, is similarly out of the Red Sox' price range. If they weren't willing to go to $25 million for Andrew Miller or $23 million for David Robertson, it would seem obvious that they won't go that length for Ottavino, either.

So, where does that leave the Red Sox? Well, as Dombrowski also keeps pointing out, the Sox could turn to either Matt Barnes or Ryan Brasier to handle the ninth-inning duties. But even if that's the case, the Sox would need at least one -- if not two -- relievers to fill the high-leverage roles vacated by either Barnes or Brasier moving to the closer's spot.

With that in mind, here's a list -- in no particular order -- of the remaining free agents who could conceivably fit into the Red Sox' budget constraints.

Keep in mind that most of these candidates are coming off down seasons -- after all, that's why they're still available in mid-January.

CODY ALLEN: Allen picked a spectacularly bad time -- on the cusp of free agency -- to have his worst season. In the five previous seasons, he compiled a 2.59 ERA and averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings while racking up 122 saves for the Indians. Then, in 2018, he spiraled down and pitched to a 4.70 ERA while his walk rate jumped to 4.4 per nine innings. Still, assuming he's healthy, he might not be a bad gamble. At this late date, he likely can't command much in terms of dollars and length. And he might be a nice option to bounce back on a short deal. Relievers have down years, and Allen is just 30, so it's hard to believe that 2018 represented some significant downturn or marked the beginning of the end of his career.

GREG HOLLAND: Holland went through the waiting game a year ago before finally hooking on with the St. Louis Cardinals late in March. He never seemed to get up to speed after missing all of spring training and was released by the Cardinals in August after compiling a 7.92 ERA. He signed with the Nationals a week later and was his old self in the final 24 games, with a 0.84 ERA. Holland has extensive postseason experience in his time with the Royals, and at 33, should still have something left.

TONY SIPP: Sipp wouldn't be a closing candidate, as he's never served in that role. But if the Sox opt to go with either Barnes or Brasier in the ninth, Sipp would be an intriguing guy for the seventh or eighth inning role, especially since he's lefthanded and would give the Sox some late-inning balance and flexibility. After poor seasons in 2016 and 2016, be bounced back nicely to post a 1.86 ERA in 54 games and is familiar to Alex Cora after Cora's 2017 season as Houston's bench coach. He's been more of a matchup lefty in his career, but last year, limited right-handers to a 2.09 batting average and a 6.08 OPS.

SHAWN KELLEY: Kelley's 2018 season was marked by a strange episode in August when he threw tantrum on the mound after being summoned to pitch in a blowout game. He also was -- incorrectly -- suspected of providing anonymous quotes to a story critical of manager Washington manager Dave Martinez. He was traded by the Nats to the A's and pitched well there (2.16 ERA in 19 games) down the stretch as the A's qualified for the postseason. It's worth noting that in 54 combined appearances for the Nats and A's he registered an .898 WHIP. He turns 35 in April, but again. this would be a short-term deal for the Red Sox -- or anyone who wants to take a chance.

BRAD BRACH: Brach was once a workhorse for the Orioles, often pitching multiple innings out of the bullpen, but in 2018, for the first time since 2012, he averaged less than an inning per appearance. Like a number of others on this list -- Kelley and Holland included -- he pitched better after being traded. Brach went to the Atlanta Braves when the Orioles held their late-season sell-off and responded well (1.52 ERA in 27 games, vs. a 4.85 ERA while with Baltimore). Did that signal that he had made the necessary adjustments? Or was it a reflection of pitching in the National League and lesser lineups? Either way, Brach has enough of a track record to trust on a shorter deal. He's not a power guy per see, but he has a history of getting hitters out, and does have some experience closing games.

ALEX WILSON: Wilson, of course, was once with the Red Sox before being dealt off in 2013 as part of the Jose Iglesias-Jake Peavy, three-team deal. That makes him familiar to Dave Dombrowski, who engineered that deal when he was with the Tigers.  Wilson bounced back nicely in 2018 a(1.054 WHIP) after a subpar 2017 (4.50). Like Brach, Wilson doesn't overpower hitters and it's known that manager Alex Cora prefers power arms who can miss bats -- especially late in games. And lefties hit him well (.829 OPS) last season, suggesting he might be more of a righty specialist. He's not ideal here, but then again, it's getting late and the Red Sox can't expect to find bullpen aces in late January, especially in this salary range.