Free agency couldn't have come at a worse time for Justin Masterson. The big right-hander had the worst year of his career in 2014 and was left off St. Louis' playoff roster after being traded from Cleveland in July.
While that doesn't help Masterson's value this winter, it does make him appealing to teams unable or unwilling to dish out massive contracts to other pitchers on the market. Those suitors are starting to line up, based on recent news reports.
First in line for Masterson are the Boston Red Sox, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:
Masterson had a whirlwind 2014 season that saw him start the year as Cleveland's No. 1 starting pitcher. He was coming off his best year as a starter the previous season, posting a 3.45 ERA with a career-high 195 strikeouts in 193 innings.
Trying to capitalize on that success while giving himself financial security, Masterson proposed what seemed like a below-market deal to the Indians last spring. Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reported the offer was "believed to be in the $40 million to $60 million range" for three or four years.
The Indians didn't bite and were "rewarded" for their patience as Masterson posted a 5.51 ERA with 106 hits allowed and 56 walks in 98 innings before being dealt to the Cardinals. He was worse after the deal, with a 7.04 ERA in 30.2 innings.
If you want to know how bad Masterson was, Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs had this nugget about his ERA against three metrics used to measure Clayton Kershaw's dominance:
One of many disturbing trends for Masterson in 2014 was the drop in velocity on his fastball. According to FanGraphs' measurements, he averaged 88.9 miles per hour with his fastball compared to 91.6 in 2013.
A possible explanation for the problems and drop in velocity was a knee issue that Masterson told Hoynes in June cropped up during his second start of the season.
"It started after my second start of the season...It's just been a little nagging. Maybe it's taken (away) a little of the power and consistency," said Masterson.
If teams get a good word on Masterson's medicals, he could make a great bounce-back candidate. He doesn't turn 30 until March 22 and is one year removed from an All-Star appearance. The poor 2014 doesn't give him much leverage in contract negotiations, though a short-term deal could allow him to cash in next winter.
That scenario is not exactly what Masterson had in mind when the 2014 season started, but that's the volatile nature of being a pitcher in Major League Baseball.
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