According to Jon Heyman, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed right-handed starting pitcher Justin Masterson to a minor league deal.
Justin Masterson agrees to minors deal with pirates
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 14, 2016
Masterson made nine starts and nine relief appearances for the Boston Red Sox in 2015 with a 5.61 ERA in 59.1 innings. The 31-year-old has a 4.31 career ERA, with a 64-74 record. He has also played for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals, and was an AL All-Star in 2013. He had a 3.86 ERA with a 7.5 K/9 from 2011-2013.
The signing of Masterson comes one day after Ryan Vogelson made a spot start for the injured Francisco Liriano. Gerrit Cole also was shaken up after being hit with a line drive Thursday, but remained in the game.
Masterson will likely start with Triple-A Indianapolis and could join the Pirates shortly after.
Stay tuned in to Pittsburgh Sporting News tomorrow for a complete breakdown and analysis of the signing for what it means for the Pirates and their rotation.
