FORT MYERS, Fla. — Justin Masterson stood out easily Wednesday.
Not only is Masterson 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, but he wore his major league white pants, a bright spot among a collection of minor leaguers in their grays gathered at the Red Sox spring training facility for a game against the Baltimore Orioles’ minor leaguers.
COVERAGE FROM FLORIDA
Kevin Thomas will be providing reports on the Red Sox and Sea Dogs from spring training. Follow his updates in print, as well as on Twitter (@ClearTheBases) and on his Clearing the Bases blog at pressherald.com/sports.
Making Masterson stand out more, he was facing Class A players.
He should dominate, right?
In the first inning, Masterson looked positively ordinary. The minor leaguers knocked him around, amassing four runs on four hits and a hit batter. Masterson never recorded the third out, but innings automatically end in minor-league exhibitions when a pitcher reaches his pitch count – and Masterson had thrown 27.
Concerned, Red Sox fans?
Masterson isn’t.
He said he never felt better.
“The first inning, I was so excited,” said Masterson, signed as a free agent this winter to bolster Boston’s rotation. “It was the first time in a long time I could throw the ball (at) effort level, like trying to throw the ball as hard as I could and actually have it be in the zone.
“That being said, everything was middle up and no real control … and those younger guys like to swing early (at fastballs).”
Masterson’s first step was to feel good. Next, he went for results.
“I was able to take that into the second inning and say, ‘OK, now we know the body feels good. It’s ready. It’s ramped, so let’s take a step back and let’s just pitch.’
“From then on, it was great control. Hit some spots away. The slider was there for the most part.”
Over the next four innings, Masterson allowed two baserunners – one a hit batter, the other a bloop single.
And the batter who singled was thrown out trying to steal on Blake Swihart.
Swihart had caught Masterson before. He saw Masterson’s fastballs coming in like meatballs in the first inning, and he waited for the pitcher’s stuff to begin to kick in.
“When he’s able to throw his sinker and come back with his slider, balls are going different ways. It’s impressive,” Swihart said.
The Red Sox like to hear “impressive” reports on Masterson, the former Portland Sea Dogs starter who is in his second stint with the Red Sox.
Masterson, who turned 30 on Sunday, recorded his best ERA (3.16) as a rookie in 2008, when he was promoted from Portland to Boston. He posted a 6-5 record in 36 games that season, nine of them starts. Masterson eventually became Boston’s prime right-handed set-up man out of the bullpen.
But in 2009, Boston needed more offense for a playoff push and traded him to Cleveland in the Victor Martinez deal.
Masterson won 43 games for the Indians from 2010-13, but his real value was eating innings (795 over four seasons). He turned down contract-extension offers from Cleveland before last season, but then was injured much of the year, finishing with a 5.88 ERA in 128 innings. He was traded to St. Louis last July, but was so ineffective he was left off the Cardinals’ playoff roster.
Needless to say, Masterson’s free-agency value plummeted. He signed a one-year deal with Boston in December for $9.5 million. It’s a low risk for the Red Sox and a chance for Masterson to rebound.
He felt like he was on his way Wednesday. Masterson threw 80 pitches (54 strikes) and his fastball was moving and clocked at 92-93 mph.
“Felt strong, feeling good, making the pitches and putting them where I need them to be,” Masterson said. “It doesn’t make me perfect or anything, but as far as being able to drive behind the ball, it’s been great. That arm strength is coming along.
“Need about two or three (more starts), and I think I’ll be right.”
Masterson will likely get two more exhibition starts. And he needs to keep working on getting it right. Masterson does not have an array of pitches to depend on. He changes speed on his fastball and slider. And his sinking fastball is an out pitch.
When he’s on, Masterson can be overpowering. When he’s not, he misses spots and either walks batters – a career-high 4.8 walks per nine innings last year – or he leaves up his pitches, where even young minor leaguers can swat them.
But that first inning from Wednesday is already forgotten.
“As much as you want these games to feel (real),” Masterson said, “something different comes when (the regular season) really starts. You get locked in.”
A lot is riding on him being locked in – a better contract for Masterson and a playoff push for Boston.
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