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Justin Masterson undergoes arthroscopic surgery on throwing shoulder

By Michael Natelli

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Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that free agent pitcher Justin Masterson had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder on Wednesday. He is expected to be fully recovered in time for Spring Training next year.

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Masterson entered 2015 set to position himself for a big contract in free agency this winter after joining the Boston Red Sox on a one-year contract. He struggled to a 5.88 ERA in 128.2 innings with the Cleveland Indians in 2014, which seemed like a fluke after he posted a much better 3.45 ERA in 193 innings the season before. But after posting equally concerning numbers (5.61 ERA in 59.1 innings) with the Red Sox in 2015, the “fluke” label on Masterson’s 2014 campaign has likely been dropped by the front offices of all 30 teams and any shot at a big contract has been wiped away.

That being said, pitching is always a commodity, and teams have historically shown a willingness to take chances on once-productive arms with incentive-laden one-year contracts. Masterson certainly fits that role, and teams looking for pitching on the cheap (Seattle, Toronto, Philadelphia to name a few) will likely take a flier on the soon-to-be 31-year-old if his contract demands are reasonable.

While it may not be the mega-deal he once had a chance at, Masterson could still cash in with a healthy contract next winter if he can put together a strong 2016. Perhaps no position benefits more from “what have you done for me lately” on the open market than pitchers, and at age 32, Masterson could still command anywhere from a three- to five-year deal with an eight-figure annual salary depending on how much he impresses next season.

Next: Stephen Piscotty Diagnosed With Concussion

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