For better or worse, the Red Sox rotation has been rebuilt. Free agent Justin Masterson is returning to the team that drafted him on a one-year deal, joining Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly as Boston’s new starting corps.
USATODAY’s Bob Nightengale reports that Masterson will earn about $9 million. ESPN’s Buster Olney was the first to report the deal.
Masterson won 14 games with a 3.45 ERA for the Indians in 2013 before falling apart last year and going 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA. His velocity was down three mph right from the get-go last year, which he later admitted was due to knee problems. He expects to be healthier this season, and he purposefully sought a one-year deal in an effort to rebuild his value.
This still isn’t really an ideal group for the Red Sox. Certainly, there isn’t a guy you’d feel particularly good about leading your rotation heading into a postseason series. Still, it should be pretty solid, and the Red Sox will still have plenty of artillery to go get a Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto in July, depending on how things progress.