The Red Sox have squashed any notion of right-hander Justin Masterson returning to Boston after two rehab starts. He will pitch a third Wednesday for Triple-A Pawtucket, per the Boston Herald.
Now the team has one more decision to make - whether to keep him in the rotation or place him in the bullpen.
Masterson did not earn his spot as a starter when he was pitching for the Sox and has also not earned a quick promotion. After posting a 6.37 ERA in the majors and going down with shoulder tendinitis, he has allowed four runs on 10 hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings against Double-A and Triple-A hitters.
That's not what anyone had in mind when he signed a one-year deal for $9.5 million in the offseason.
"I'd like to be throwing 96 mph again," he said. "But I don't know if that will come or not. I'm doing everything in my ability to try to make that happen. ... I feel physically the best I've felt since the start of the year."