Major League Baseball

Red Sox closer Bailey out 'a while'

Published Apr. 3, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Boston Red Sox are preparing to open the season without closer Andrew Bailey, who was having a second opinion on a thumb injury that could keep the right-hander out for much of the year.

Manager Bobby Valentine said Tuesday that he thinks Bailey will be out ''a while.'' Asked if that meant days, weeks or months, Valentine said: ''possibly all of the above.''

The nature of Bailey's injury is still a bit of a mystery. Valentine said Bailey doesn't know how his right thumb was injured. Bailey initially went to Boston on Monday to have it checked out, then traveled to Cleveland.