Steven Richard Wright (born August 30, 1984) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
who is a free agent. Wright has played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, having made his MLB debut in 2013; he was an
All-Star in 2016. He is known for his
knuckleball
A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This cha ...
pitch.
Wright received two World Series rings in 2013 and 2018 as a member of the Red Sox for being on the active roster, but did not play in the playoffs.
Amateur baseball career
Born in
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area. Torrance has of beachfront on the Pacific O ...
, Wright attended
Valley View High School in
Moreno Valley, California
Moreno Valley is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and is part of the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Riverside County by population and one of the Inland Empire's p ...
and the
University of Hawaii
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...
. While at Hawaii, Wright was named a second-team All-American as a junior in 2006. He had an 11–2 record with a 2.30 ERA in 110 innings. In 2005, he played
collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
with the
Orleans Cardinals
The Orleans Firebirds, formerly the Orleans Cardinals, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Firebirds play ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
, where he was named a league all-star and helped Orleans to the 2005 league championship.
Professional career
Cleveland Indians
The
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
selected Wright in the second round of the
2006 MLB draft. From 2007 to 2012, Wright played
Minor League Baseball with the
Lake County Captains
The Lake County Captains are a Minor League Baseball team in Eastlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, that plays in the Midwest League as the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians.
The Captains joined the Class A Midwest League following ...
,
Kinston Indians,
Akron Aeros
The Akron RubberDucks are a Minor League Baseball team based in Akron, Ohio. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 7,630 ...
, and
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy merchant sailing vessels known as cli ...
, all affiliates of the Cleveland Indians. With the 2008 Akron Aeros, he pitched a career-high 75 innings.
Wright has a 90-mph
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
, but he turned to the
knuckleball
A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This cha ...
as his primary pitch in the 2011 season as a collective decision among Wright and the Indians.
Boston Red Sox
On July 31, 2012, the Indians traded Wright to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in exchange for
Lars Anderson at the trade deadline.
After an injury to Boston relief pitcher
Joel Hanrahan in April 2013, the Red Sox called Wright up to the major leagues. Wright's first major league experience was against the Indians, the team that traded him in 2012, but he saw no action in the three-game series.
2013
On April 23, 2013, Wright was called into a game versus the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
to relieve
Alfredo Aceves. The first batter he faced,
Brandon Moss, hit into a double play.
Wright allowed five runs in innings, and was
optioned to
Triple-A Pawtucket after the game.
On July 11, Wright earned his first major league win, against the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
. Wright pitched shutout innings in relief of
Ryan Dempster.
Koji Uehara picked up the
save, and presented Wright with the ball following the victory. On August 1, Wright picked up his second win, also against the Mariners and again in relief of Dempster; Boston trailed 7–2 entering the ninth inning, but staged a comeback to walk off with an 8–7 victory, making Wright the winner. On August 6, while pitching in his first major league start, Wright's
knuckleball
A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This cha ...
caused catcher
Ryan Lavarnway to tie a major league record with four
passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a ru ...
s in one inning.
The record was originally set by
Ray Katt of the New York Giants in 1954, catching knuckleballer
Hoyt Wilhelm, and tied by
Gino Petralli
Eugene James Petralli (born September 25, 1959) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers from to .
Early life and education
Petralli grad ...
of the
Texas Rangers in 1987, catching knuckleballer
Charlie Hough
Charles Oliver Hough (; born January 5, 1948) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) knuckleball pitcher and coach who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Florida Marlins from 1970 to 1994.
P ...
.
Wright made four MLB appearances with one start during the season, accumulating a 5.40 ERA and a 2–0 record. He was also the recipient of the Red Sox'
Lou Gorman Award. Wright was not included on the team's postseason roster.
2014
Wright began the 2014 season with Triple-A Pawtucket, going 5–3 with a 2.76 ERA before being recalled to Boston on August 17. In six major league games with the Red Sox, Wright made one start, going 0–1 with a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings pitched.
2015
During a game started on April 10, 2015, against the Yankees, after a home run by
Chase Headley in the bottom of the ninth pushed the game into extra innings, Wright, the intended starter for the next day, entered in the bottom of the 15th. Although yielding a tying run in both the 16th and 18th innings, Wright became the winning pitcher after five innings of relief. It was the longest game then played at the new
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...
, ending after 19 innings at with a 6–5 score, after six hours and 49 minutes (with an additional 16-minute delay due to a series of faulty stadium lights going out during the 12th inning).
Later that morning, Wright was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for the returning
Joe Kelly. Wright finished his MLB season with a 5–4 record, a 4.09 ERA, and innings pitched.
2016
On May 8, 2016, Wright pitched a complete game for the first time in his MLB career as the Red Sox won 5–1 over the Yankees. Wright gave up only three hits, struck out seven, and the lone run came on a solo home run by
Brett Gardner
Brett Michael Gardner (born August 24, 1983) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.
Gardner was a walk-on for the College of Charleston's b ...
with two outs in the ninth inning. Wright earned his first All-Star game nod, going 9–5 before the game, recording the lowest ERA of any AL starting pitcher before the break. On August 14, he was placed on the 15-day
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
with
bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of one or more bursae (fluid filled sacs) of synovial fluid in the body. They are lined with a synovial membrane that secretes a lubricating synovial fluid. There are more than 150 bursae in the human body. The bursae ...
in his right shoulder. He ended the 2016 season with a 13–6 record and 3.33 ERA after pitching innings in 24 starts.
2017
On May 4, 2017, it was announced that Wright would undergo left knee surgery for a cartilage restoration, therefore ending his season. He had made five appearances (all starts) with a 1–3 record and 8.25 ERA in 24 innings pitched.
2018
On March 23, 2018, MLB announced that Wright would be suspended for 15 games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. The suspension took effect on April 28, when Wright completed a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket.
On May 14, Wright was activated by Boston, his suspension having been completed. After 10 appearances (including four starts), he was placed on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
with a left knee injury on June 26; he received a
PRP injection in the knee on July 2. Wright was sent on a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on August 28,
and returned from the disabled list on September 1.
Overall in 2018, Wright pitched innings over 20 appearances (including four starts), compiling a 3–1 record and 2.68 ERA. He also picked up his only MLB save on September 16, 2018 against the Mets. Initially included on Boston's postseason roster, Wright was removed and replaced by
Heath Hembree for the
ALDS
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
and beyond due to his previous knee injury. The Red Sox went on to win the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...
over the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
.
2019
On January 11, 2019, Wright and the Red Sox reached agreement on a one-year contract worth $1.375 million. On March 6, 2019, Wright received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2 (
GHRP-2), a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of MLB’s
Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Wright made his first appearance of the season with Triple-A Pawtucket on a rehabilitation assignment in early June, and was added to Boston's active roster on June 25. Wright was placed on the
injured list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
on July 14 with a right
great toe contusion. On September 1, the Red Sox moved him to the 60-day injured list. For the season with Boston, Wright was 0–1 with an 8.53 ERA and five strikeouts in innings. Wright was released by the Red Sox on October 18, and he announced shortly thereafter that he would undergo
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's ...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On March 21, 2021, Wright signed a minor league contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
that included an invitation to spring training. In 18 appearances for the Triple-A
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which opened ...
, Wright had a 6.68 ERA with 70 strikeouts. On August 19, 2021, Wright was released by the Pirates.
Personal life
Wright and his wife Shannon have two children, a daughter and son. In December 2017, Wright was arrested for domestic assault,
although the court case was "retired" and would be dismissed in December 2018 if no further incidents occur.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Steven
1984 births
Living people
Baseball players from Torrance, California
American sportspeople in doping cases
Major League Baseball players suspended for drug offenses
American League All-Stars
Boston Red Sox players
Akron Aeros players
Kinston Indians players
Lake County Captains players
Columbus Clippers players
Caribes de Anzoátegui players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors baseball players
Orleans Firebirds players
Knuckleball pitchers
Portland Sea Dogs players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Leones del Escogido players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Indianapolis Indians players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela