Red Sox Seek Settlement To End Bobby Jenks' Contract

According to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox and Bobby Jenks are negotiating a settlement that would release him from the final season of his two-year, $12 million contract. Jenks is currently on the 60-day disabled list, and has spent the season recovering from multiple surgeries performed over the off-season.

The contract was considered a steal at the time, as Jenks had excellent peripherals and was believed to still be a strong bullpen presence. A constant stream of injuries and ailments helped to ruin that potential, though, making Jenks' tenure short, unproductive, and forgettable.

The right-handed reliever reported to spring training, but he was considered a late-season option, if anything. Jenks hasn't thrown since the pair of surgeries -- the latter of which was meant to fix potentially-fatal complications from the first -- and Abraham states that Jenks hasn't been around the team at all since his arrest for a DUI back in March.

As the Red Sox don't expect him to pitch again this season, and he's already been allowed to go back to his home in Arizona, it makes sense that Boston and Jenks would just attempt to end this deal now, rather than waiting until the season's end. A roster spot isn't the issue -- as he's on the 60-day DL, he's not taking up a spot on the 40-man roster -- but this will likely allow the Red Sox to save a few dollars on the remainder of his deal. It might not be much in the way of savings, but if it opens up any flexibility whatsoever heading into the trade deadline -- whether to spend on a player or to make it easier to absorb Kevin Youkilis' salary -- then it's the right thing to do.