The Red Sox have placed right-hander Josh Beckett on waivers, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Competing executives don’t expect him to be claimed, Heyman writes.
Beckett, 32, earns $15.75MM per season through 2014. He has posted a 5.23 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 127 1/3 innings this year, while facing considerable scrutiny for his on-field performance and off-field actions.
One unnamed GM recently told Heyman "Boston's first priority has to be to trade Josh Beckett'' this August. The Red Sox and Rangers discussed a trade that would have sent Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kelly Shoppach to Texas leading up to the trade deadline, so the Rangers could be considered a long-shot suitor.
Teams routinely place players on waivers, even if they don't plan on trading them, so this is not an indication that the Red Sox intend to move Beckett. If he goes unclaimed, the Red Sox will be able to complete a trade just as easily as they could have before the current waiver period began at the beginning of August.
If a team claims Beckett, the Red Sox will have three choices. They can let him (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams will have claiming priority on Beckett.
Carl Crawford and Nick Punto have already cleared waivers this month. Adrian Gonzalez is also on waivers now.
Beckett, 32, earns $15.75MM per season through 2014. He has posted a 5.23 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 127 1/3 innings this year, while facing considerable scrutiny for his on-field performance and off-field actions.
One unnamed GM recently told Heyman "Boston's first priority has to be to trade Josh Beckett'' this August. The Red Sox and Rangers discussed a trade that would have sent Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kelly Shoppach to Texas leading up to the trade deadline, so the Rangers could be considered a long-shot suitor.
Teams routinely place players on waivers, even if they don't plan on trading them, so this is not an indication that the Red Sox intend to move Beckett. If he goes unclaimed, the Red Sox will be able to complete a trade just as easily as they could have before the current waiver period began at the beginning of August.
If a team claims Beckett, the Red Sox will have three choices. They can let him (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams will have claiming priority on Beckett.
Carl Crawford and Nick Punto have already cleared waivers this month. Adrian Gonzalez is also on waivers now.
