Boston Red Sox designate Justin Masterson for assignment
By Tim Haberin
The Boston Red Sox designated pitcher Justin Masterson for assignment, effectively giving up on a player who they viewed as a strong bounceback candidate last offseason. Boston inked the right-hander to a one-year, $9.5 million contract in December, but he struggled mightily for the Sox this season both as a starter and out of the bullpen.
Through 18 total appearances (nine starts and nine in relief), Masterson carries an unseemly 5.61 ERA. Over 59.1 innings pitched, he has surrendered 68 hits, handed out 27 walks and collected 49 strikeouts. On a Red Sox staff starving for good pitching, Masterson just no longer made the cut.
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Masterson began his career in Boston, playing one and a half seasons there before being shipped to Cleveland in a 2009 trade deadline deal that sent Victor Martinez to the Red Sox. He enjoyed his most successful years with the Indians and is still only two seasons removed from a 2013 All-Star campaign in which he won 14 games to the tune of a 3.45 ERA.
The following year was a much different story, as Masterson watched his ERA balloon to 5.88 and was dealt to the Cardinals before the July deadline. He also missed significant time due to a knee injury. He became a free agent after the season with his stock at an all-time low and elected to return to Boston for 2015 in an attempt to get his career back on track.
A popular rebound candidate heading into the season, things have certainly not proceeded according to Masterson’s or the Red Sox’s scripts. Many attribute his decline to significantly diminished velocity on his pitches. His fastball for instance now sits at 88 mph, while it used to average just over 93 mph two years ago.
Some had hoped that getting completely healthy would help Masterson return to form, but that hasn’t happened as of yet. The health issues have only continued to pile up this season, as Masterson missed over a month with right shoulder tendinitis from mid-May to late June. He made only two starts after his reactivation from the DL before being relegated to the bullpen. Diminished stuff – and a diminished role – may be realities he needs to accept moving forward.
Nevertheless, Masterson turned just 30 this year and a handful of teams may still see him as a viable reclamation project. He definitely hasn’t helped his case this year, though, and finding a new home will likely be more difficult than it was last winter.