Red Sox hire Juan Nieves as new pitching coach

The Boston Red Sox continue to fill out their new coaching staff, with reports now surfacing that John Farrell will likely make Juan Nieves his pitching coach. Nieves, a bullpen coach with the White Sox, has passed Rick Peterson as Boston's No. 1 choice, according to a report from Jon Heyman of CBS. Heyman also reports that Nieves had a seven-hour interview with the Red Sox brass.

Farrell got his start in the dugout as a pitching coach for the Red Sox, quickly drawing positive reviews that boosted him to a managerial position. If Nieves is confirmed, he'll work closely with Farrell to rebuild a staff that was woefully inconsistent during the 2012 season. The Red Sox had the third-worst team ERA in the American League last season.

Peterson is Baltimore's director of pitching development, and has a longtime relationship with Farrell. The Red Sox reportedly interviewed Randy St. Claire and the Royals Steve Foster as two more candidates for the open position.