Red Sox agree to terms with Justin Masterson on 1-year, $9.5M deal
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The Boston Red Sox continue to corner the market on mid-rotation arms.
ESPN's Buster Olney reports the club has agreed to terms with free-agent right-hander Justin Masterson. The contract is for one year and $9.5 million, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports. The Red Sox made the signing official Thursday night.
Masterson, 29, spent parts of his first two seasons in Boston before getting dealt to the Cleveland Indians in the Victor Martinez trade at the 2009 deadline.
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The right-hander was an All-Star in 2013 after throwing a league-leading three shutouts and recording his second of back-to-back 200-inning seasons. He regressed significantly last year, however, pitching to a 5.88 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over 128 2/3 innings with the Indians and St. Louis Cardinals.
Masterson's struggles were tied to a sharp loss in velocity last year, perhaps a result of knee problems that sidelined the seven-year veteran for more than a month.
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MLB Network analyst Peter Gammons tweets that Masterson's health isn't a concern.
"His knee is OK," an Indians executive told Gammons. "His mechanics got out of whack and could never recover his velocity."
Masterson is expected to compete for a rotation spot in a revamped staff that includes Clay Buchholz, Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello, and Wade Miley.