Justin Masterson

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Justin Daniel Masterson (born March 22, 1985) is an American professional baseball starting pitcher.

He was drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 MLB draft from San Diego State University two years ago and made his MLB debut two years later.

Masterson also played for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals.

The right-hander, who is best known for tossing a sinking fastball, stands 6' 6" (198 cm) tall and weighs 250 lb (113 kg). Masterson was ranked in the top ten in the American League multiple categories in 2013, with wins, strikeouts, complete games, hits per nine innings pitched, and strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

He was the first Red Sox pitcher since Fenway Park's 1912 debut to start his first four games in a row and not lose any of them.

Early life

Masterson was born in Kingston, Jamaica, where his father served as the dean of students at the Jamaica Theological Seminary. Masterson migrated to Fort Wayne, Indiana, a few years later. He attended Beavercreek High School, Ohio, where he first played basketball and baseball as a catcher, pitcher, and first baseman. His mother works as a tutor, and his father is a pastor.

Masterson competed for Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana, where he played as a starting pitcher. He hit ten home runs (HR) during his sophomore year at Bethel. He then attended San Diego State University. Masterson also played for the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2005. (CCBL): Masterson played collegiate summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He had 39 strikeouts in 31.1 innings pitched and had a 1.15 ERA. He was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2017.

Personal life

On November 3, 2007, Masterson married Meryl Ham. Masterson is a Christian, and he often speaks about the importance of God in his life. In June 2009, he spoke at the Pentagon's weekly prayer breakfast.

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Professional career

For their 2006 Major League Baseball draft picks, Baseball America named Masterson as the 64th best overall prospect. In the second round, the Boston Red Sox selected him. Dan Madsen bought him. Masterson played for both starter and reliever in his minor league appearance for the Lowell Spinners. The club promoted him from the Class A Lancaster JetHawks to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2007, his second season. His twelve victories in the Red Sox minor leagues ranked second in the league.

"I've had the confidence to be a great pitcher right from the start," Masterson said. I went to a smaller school and discovered that I had the talent to pitch, and that, whichever route I went to get me where I am, I'm not concerned about it."

Masterson was selected to Baseball America's short-season all-star team in 2006. Masterson converted to starting pitching in early 2007, after a stint as a relief pitcher for Short Season Lowell in 2006.

Before the 2008 season, the Red Sox welcomed Masterson to spring training. In an emergency call-up call, he made his Major League debut against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on April 24. He pitched six complete innings (IP) and allowed one run on each run. Following the game, the Red Sox sent him back to Portland. With three walks and five strikeouts, he made his second appearance in the Majors on May 20 and made his second appearance, pitching 6+1/3 innings, allowing three runs and one run with three walks and five strikeouts, and winning his first game in the Majors.

Following five starts with the major leagues, Bartolo Colón's return from the disabled list (DL) will keep him in the majors. Masterson was sent from the Pawtucket Red Sox to the Pawtucket Red Sox on July 7, 2008. A move manager Terry Francona said the Mastersons were sent from a starter to a relief pitcher. Masterson was recalling from an injury to David Aardsma in his first relief appearance against the Seattle Mariners, shutting down the hitters and throwing 2+2/3 scoreless innings at Safeco Field in Seattle on July 20.

In Game 5 of the 2008 American League Championship Series (ALCS), Masterson won his first postseason appearance of his career (ALCS), defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 for his ninth inning in the Red Sox' 8–7 victory.

Masterson started the season in 2009 in the bullpen while also playing six games before being traded to the Cleveland Indians.

Masterson was traded by Boston, along with minor league prospect Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price, to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Victor Martinez on July 31, 2009.

Masterson was inserted into the Indians rotation right away upon arriving in Cleveland. He started ten games, but after a record of 1-7 for the remainder of 2009.

Masterson enjoyed his first full season as a starter in 2010, but he didn't have a good season with the Indians and finished with a 6–13 record in 29 starts. Despite that, Masterson managed to save his best stuff for when he was battling his former Red Sox teammates. On June 9 of that season, he played out six singles and two walks in his first shutout of his career, and then beat Boston 11-0, giving him his first shutout of his career.

Masterson set a 12–10 record in 2011 before winning career highs in ERA (3.21), innings pitched (216), and home runs allowed (11). For the second time in history, he beat the Red Sox for the second time on August 4 and also accomplished one of baseball's most unusual feats. Masterson struck out Josh Reddick swinging in the bottom of the second inning before a wild pitch allowed Reddick to reach first base on the play. In a single inning, then, Masterson smashed out Jason Varitek, Marco Scutaro, and Jacoby Ellsbury in a row, putting him one of 68 pitchers in Major League history to strike out four batters in a single inning.

Following the completion of the season, Masterson underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. After suffering an injury as a member of the Red Sox in 2007, the surgery was required.

For the first time in his career, the Indians made Masterson the Opening Day starter on April 5, 2012. In what was the longest Opening Day game in major league history, the Toronto Blue Jays lost 7–4 in 16 innings. He took up two runs and one run while striking out 10, resulting in a no-decision. However, he suffered in his third season with the Indians, finishing 11-23 with a career-best 4.93 ERA in 34 starts. Francona was hired by the Indians as their manager in October, reuniteing the pitcher with his former boss.

The Indians also named Masterson as the Opening Day starting pitcher for the 2013 season. R. A. Dickey, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, was defeated by the Blue Jays in the previous off-season. He won his second game against the Rays' reigning American League Cy Young champion David Price. Masterson became just the third player in MLB history to face both reigning Cy Young winners in the same season – and the first to do so in his first two starts of the season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Masterson was eligible to become a free agent for the first time in his career when his sixth campaign was set to begin and no employment. He was also arbitration-eligible. Rather, Masterson and the Indians decided to a one-year, $9.7 million deal in February, 2014. Both parties also began negotiations for a contract extension beyond 2014. However, the next month, discussions were postponed until the season ended. Masterson had offered the club extensions for $17 million a year in separate packages of two and three years, with option years, but that was more than the Indians were able to pay. Homer Bailey, a pitcher with similar career, had signed a deal with the Cincinnati Reds that had been on the track for more than a decade.

Masterson pitched seven scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics in his third straight Opening Day appearance, but did not qualify for a decision. He delivered an immaculate inning against the Red Sox on June 2, knocking out Jonny Gomes, Grady Sizemore, and Stephen Drew in order on nine pitches. In Major League history, only 72 pitchers have achieved that feat.

The Masterson was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to outfielder James Ramsey on July 30, 2014. Both Indians players wore Masterson's high-sock style for the next game, despite his trade with the Mariners. When he was traded, Masterson had been on the DL due to a knee injury. On August 1, the Cardinals activated him from the DL. In spite of allowing five runs, seven hits, and three walks in six innings, he won his Cardinals debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on the next day, a 9–7 triumph. He had his first hit and run scores of the season while batting.

On December 11, Masterson, a free agent since the 2014 season, agreed to a one-year contract with Boston worth $9.5 million. Masterson was first selected for Boston assignment on August 10, 2015. On August 19, he was released.

On April 14, 2016, Masterson decided to a minor league contract with the Pirates.

Masterson signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 27, 2017 and was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers to begin the season. He stayed with them all year and had an 11.13 ERA in 25 starts.

On December 11, 2018, Masterson announced his resignation on December 11, 2018.

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