McAdam: Red Sox could go with what they have in bullpen

It's still possible the Red Sox could add a reliever (or two) from what's left on the free agent market.

But it's not out of the realm of possibility the Red Sox could go to spring training in another three weeks without adding to the core of relievers presently on the roster and in the organization.

The Sox have watched a slew of free agents sign elsewhere, including Adam Ottavino with the Yankees Thursday. Earlier, Andrew Miller, David Robertson, Jeurys Familia, Zach Britton and others signed deals. Each time, the Sox weren't involved.

And president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has repeatedly said he doesn't expect the Sox to make a "big expenditure'' when it comes to spending on their bullpen.

Further, when asked about the makeup of the bullpen, Dombrowski listed a half-dozen or so relievers on the current roster and touted their accomplishments and potential.

"Really, the one thing that is significantly different is that we don't have a proven closer,'' said Dombrowski. "Sometimes you have to evaluate where you're going to spend your dollars. We decided to bring back the rest of the core of the club. We like our team a great deal. And we think that some of the guys internally can do the job. Can we get better? Perhaps. But we'll see what takes place in that regard.''

Asked if he would be content to start the 2019 season "as is'' with the bullpen, Dombrowski smiled and said: "If they get people out. I guess that's how I would (answer) that.

"Everybody wants proven (relievers), but sometimes unproven (relievers) can do a job, too. They just need the opportunity. So I've been in that situation and they've worked well at times. Sometimes, they don't work well. It just depends. I don't think there's one set answer. I do know that we have the ability to close with people on our team. We'll see if we get to that point or not.''

Dombrowski has repeatedly cited both Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier as two possibilities who could handle the closer's role, and on Thursday, added knuckleballer Steven Wright as another candidate.

Brasier, who was on hand for Thursday's 80th annual Boston Baseball Writers Association Dinner, said he hadn't been told anything about his 2019 role.

"I'm just going into spring training like a regular spring training and try to get ready for the regular season,'' Brasier said. "If it happens (that I become the closer), it happens; if not, I don't really think about it. What we're missing with Craig (Kimbrel) and Joe (Kelly) is huge, but somebody's just got to fill their shoes and keep going.''

Braiser has closed in the minors and thinks he could handle the chore if given the opportunity.

"I've never done it in the big leagues,'' Brasier said. "But I can only imagine the differences -- the stadium and how the important the (ninth) inning is in the big leagues. Yeah, it would be different, but at the end of the day, it's just another inning.''

Brasier said he was a bit surprised that the Sox haven't obtained an experienced closer, but hasn't spent a lot of time on the topic.

"Honestly, I don't pay a lot of attention to it,'' he said. "But we can't control it, so we just kind of go about it the way we did (last year).''

Beyond closing candidates, the Sox have the following relievers under control: Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Brian Johnson, Hector Velazquez, Tyler Thornburg and some younger pitchers in the minor league system.

Part of Dombrowski's reasoning may well be financial. The Red Sox are approaching $240 million in salary commitments for 2019, just shy the final luxury tax threshold of $246 million.

He added that the Sox don't have a mandate to stay under the final threshold, but said the club would "like to'' do so.

"There is a reason they call it a 'penalty,' '' said Dombrowski, "and the higher you go, the penalty is quite significant. So, ideally we'd like to stay (under). That was our goal last year before the season started and we did end up going over.''

Even if the Sox decided to stay in-house for their late-inning roles, they could always add a reliever or two at the trade deadline should the first four months suggest that an upgrade is necessary.