The Red Sox have released knuckleballing right-hander Steven Wright, per a club announcement (h/t Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, via Twitter). Wright had been projected by MLBTR to earn $1.5MM in arbitration, had he been tendered a contract.
This move doesn’t come as a surprise for a 35-year-old hurler who wasn’t a significant contributor in 2019. The Boston organization is known to be looking for ways to trim payroll and obviously didn’t envision Wright as a part of the staff.
Wright had a strong showing in 2016, pitching to a 3.33 ERA in 156 2/3 innings. But he was alternatively hurt and/or suspended for most of the next three campaigns.
When he was available, Wright wasn’t always very effective. Though he did end with a 2.68 ERA in 53 2/3 frames in 2018, that came with a less-than-inspiring combination of 42 strikeouts and 26 walks. He allowed nearly a run per inning in short stints in the 2017 and 2019 seasons.
There may yet be hope of a rebound, particularly for a pitcher that relies upon guile rather than power. But Mastrodonato tweets that there’s some additional health uncertainty at play here, perhaps involving Wright’s elbow.
I guess he can go back out on his comedy tour now…
Farrell ruined his career making him pinch run in LA… he was never the same after that injury
Absolute truth. Wright had been useful until Farrell literally ran him into the ground.
As an athlete he should be able to run bases. They run around the warning track each day. I suppose on a garbage game where an every day player pitches, the manager would get blamed if there’s a shoulder or arm injury. To my knowledge he had no prior knee history and it’s just one of those unfortunate incidents. I’m still more upset at Pedie’s injury which resulted from a late slide.
His running wasn’t the issue, it was his headfirst dive back into second base, jamming his shoulder.
By this logic, a pinch runner is 100% useless
I thought his original knee injury was from the bases.
Farrell also caused him to take PED’s and beat his wife.
LOL at the PED line but beating a spouse is never funny. That said, it was never revealed what actually happened.
Agreed. I also feel Wright probably doesn’t deserve that rep. Obviously it’s a touchy subject but the criminal charges were dropped and the league determined he deserved a much smaller suspension than usual. Obviously if he actually abused his wife he’s a POS but I don’t think that’s what happened.
I don’t think it was a physical abuse, just IMO.
Agreed. The CBA includes other forms of abuse which while still not right, often become one said/other said situation. Most individuals in a relationship have been on either or even both sides of the situation. Very broad.
I’m supposing why his punishment was less.
Steven Wright can use PEDs as much as he wants now.
Now the Sox need a new pinch runner. I don’t miss John Farrell. I saw Wright in Detroit this summer, he came out to play catch during a rain delay. When kids asked him for the ball he was using, Wright tossed them the ball by throwing a knuckleball to the group of kids. Nice touch.
Just shows you how fast you can go from a reliable starter…to a player not deemed worth $1.5M…by a team in need of starters.
In need of starting pitching and relief pitching
Orioles will probably take a look as long as he can still throw a baseball.
Wright was also suspended for domestic assault. There was no physical harm but I’m surprised MLB wouldn’t prioritize disciplining this type of behavior more. Pete Rose gambled and is erased from the game but there are multiple domestic abusers who are still around.
Never compare gambling in sports to anything. There are certainly far worse crimes including assaults but gambling affects the integrity of the sport. If such gets lost, the whole sport could suffer. Gambling on baseball should be a lifetime ban automatically.
Sports would actually be better if participants were forced to bet on their own teams to win like Pete did. Might squeeze out tanking.
It’s been proven that Pete didn’t always bet on his team to win though so!
Either way is impossible to defend. He likely injured players or made injuries worse playing them because he had “action” on the game.
Babies don’t need a vacation, but I still see them at the beach… it pisses me off! I’ll go over to a little baby and say ‘What are you doing here? You haven’t worked a day in your life!
-Steven Wright
He will be missed if not just for his one liners post game
Here you go MoGirsch, say hello to your 5th starter for 2020. Checks all the boxes. Old, cheap, bad.
RA Dickey 2.0
This whole using dead people’s cartilage seems to have tremendous success so far
A cadaver’s ACL is one method. Another has been using part of one’s own patella tendon. Longer recovery but no chance of rejection. Those were the choices 20 years ago when mine was reconstructed. As to cartilage, I believe PRP has had success in many instances. With Wright and Pedie, I believe they needed micro fracture surgery where recovering to go back to pro sports is iffy.
guess i was wrong about him being tendered a contract
Me too but if he gets no takers would anyone be surprised if he gets medically cleared that the Sox extend a minor league invite?
The San Diego Padres can need this reliever and arm he can return to the team that was Draft in 2003. veteran presence and spot starter will be nice to the 2020 San Diego Padres.. :)
The last piece of the Lars Anderson era is now gone…
LOL. Turned out to be a tremendous pick up. Who’s next? Sox for so many years depended on Wake and the Wright for innings.
Addition by subtraction for the Sox
Buy low option for the M’s