Red Sox Release Steven Wright

The Red Sox have released Steven Wright, ending the knuckleballer's topsy-turvy stint in Boston that included an unlikely All-Star appearance, domestic violence arrest and PED suspension.

Wright, 35, is the first domino to fall in what is expected to be a franchise-shifting offseason for the Red Sox as they look to dive below the luxury tax. The team may need to get rid of one or more of Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and David Price to accomplish ownership's goal.

Wright didn't make the big leagues until he was 28. He made an All-Star team in 2016 and was a productive member of the team's bullpen in the 2018 championship season.

But Wright pitched only a handful of innings last season. He missed the first half of the season after being popped for using a performance-enhancing drug — something he denied knowingly using — and suffered a toe injury that cost him most of the rest of the season.

Wright also had a troublesome knee, which he had to have surgery on in 2017.

Wright was arrested in 2017 after a domestic incident with his wife. His case was eventually "retired."