Knuckleballer Steven Wright Released By The Red Sox After Seven Seasons

Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports

In a move that surprised hardly anyone, the Red Sox officially released Steven Wright on Friday, several outlets reported.

The 35-year-old was projected to make $1.5 million in arbitration for 2020.

Wright had been a member of the Red Sox since his Major League debut in 2013, going 24-16 with a 3.86 ERA across 347 2/3 innings.

An All-Star season in 2016 for Wright (13-6, 3.33 ERA in 24 games/starts) ended nearly six weeks early after he injured himself pinch-running. Following that, things were never the same for him. He struggled in April 2017, posting an 8.25 ERA in five starts before undergoing left knee surgery, ending his season. In 2018, a 15-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy combined with more knee issues limited him to only 20 games (four starts).

​This past season, Wright went 0-1 with an 8.53 ERA in six games out of the bullpen. He missed the first 80 games due to a suspension, and last pitched on July 13, as injuries once again affected his season.

Wright will undergo Tommy John surgery in the offseason before attempting a comeback.