Steven Wright to rehab for Portland
Knuckleballer Steven Wright becomes the 32nd player to make a Major League rehab assignment with the Portland Sea Dogs and the 26th as a Red Sox affiliate. Wright has been on Boston's 60-day disabled list since April 7, recovering from January 2014 sports hernia surgery. The plan is for Wright to start, followed by Sunday's regular starter RHP Keith Couch.
The righty's last appearance was September 11, 2013 in Game 2 of the IL Governor's Cup Finals. He took the loss, despite two unearned runs allowed over 6 IP on 5 hits.
Wright his making his second career start with Portland. He earned the win with the Sea Dogs on August 5, 2012 vs. Akron (6 IP, 5 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) after being traded to Boston from Cleveland for INF Lars Anderson. Pitched with Akron from 2008-12: 27-15, 3.54 ERA (151 ER/383.2 IP) in 117 games/48 starts.
Wright is the fifth knuckleballer in team history: RHP John Barnes (2007), RHP Charlie Haeger (2011, 13), LHP Joe Rogers (2004) and Charlie Zink (2003-07).
LAST SEASON: Made his MLB debut, going 2-0, 5.40 ERA in four games (1 start) with the Red Sox in his first full season in the Organization…Earned first 2 ML wins in consecutive appearances, 7/11 at SEA (5.2 IP, 0 R) and 8/1 vs. SEA (3.0 IP, 0 R)...Became the 1st Red Sox pitcher to win in back-to-back relief outings with at least 3.0 scoreless innings since Bob Stanley (1982)…8-7, 3.46 ERA (356 ER/835.0 IP) in 24 starts with Triple-A Pawtucket…Threw a pair of 9.0-inning shutouts: 7/1 vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (7 H, 4 BB, 3 SO) and 7/28 vs. Lehigh Valley (4 H, BB, 7 SO).
CAREER/PERSONAL NOTES: Lettered in baseball at the University of Hawaii in 3 seasons from 2004-06...Selected as Western Athletic Pitcher of the Year after going 11-2 with a 2.30 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 109.2 innings as a junior in 2006…As a junior, earned All-American honors by the National Baseball Foundation, Baseball America (2nd team), and Collegiate Baseball (3rd team)…Graduated from Valley View (CA) High School in 2003.