By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Steven Wright era in Boston is over.
The Red Sox announced Friday that they have released 35-year-old knuckleballer. Wright would have been eligible for salary arbitration for the 2020 season. The team did not decide to wait until the non-tender deadline to part ways with the right-hander.
According to Jason Mastrodonato of The Boston Herald, injury concerns may have played a role in Wright's release.
Hearing there is new info regarding Wright's health that led to his release by the Red Sox at this time. He had a PRP injection in his elbow in August. https://t.co/mtkR8P2U0T
— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) October 18, 2019
Wright has battled injuries since the second half of the 2016 season when he hurt his shoulder pinch-running. He had knee surgery in 2017 and has struggled to stay on the field since.
Wright has also been suspended for violating the league's PED policy and for a domestic violence incident.
The move likely saves the Red Sox somewhere around $1.5 million. The team is looking to cut their payroll to $208 million or less.
You can hear Matt McCarthy on 98.5 The Sports Hub's own Hardcore Baseball podcast and on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.