The Boston Red Sox have been the hometown team for New England since their founding in 1901, 124 years ago. But over that time, remarkably few players who actually call the region home have played for the Boston franchise.
Some of the more notable “local” players to appear in a Red Sox uniform include outfielder Tony Conigliaro from Revere, Massachusetts, in the 1960s; 1972 American League Rookie of the Year catcher Carlton Fisk from Charlestown, New Hampshire; another catcher, Rich Gedman, from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was a member of Boston’s 1986 World Series team; and second baseman Jerry Remy from Fall River, Massachusetts.
Remy played for Boston from 1979 to 1984, then went on to spend 34 years as perhaps the most beloved broadcaster in the history of televised Red Sox games.
Sean Newcomb, however, will not join them in the elite pantheon of locally bred Red Sox stars. The 31-year-old lefty from Middleborough, Massachusetts — a town of about 24,000, 50 miles south of Boston — was designated for assignment by the Red Sox after they signed the former Atlanta Braves hurler to a minor-league contract in January.
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As a DFA’d player, Newcomb now has one week for the Red Sox find a trade or put him through waivers, where he may be claimed by any club. If no trade happens and no team claims him, Newcomb can choose to accept a minor league assignment, or become a free agent.
At one time, Newcomb was considered one of baseball’s most promising pitching prospects. He was drafted in the first round, 15th overall, in the 2014 draft by the Los Angeles Angels, receiving a $2.5 million signing bonus.
But the Angels traded him to the Braves a year later. Newcomb never reached the potential the Angels saw in him, spending six seasons in Atlanta, winning 24 games against 23 losses with a 4.25 ERA in 144 games, including 57 starts.
Making the team out of spring training, Newcomb started the season in the Red Sox rotation due largely to injuries to starting pitchers Brayan Bello and Cutter Crawford. Boston moved Newcomb to the bullpen when Bello returned.
Newcomb had an 0-4 record, but also compiled a 3.95 ERA, fourth-best of any pitcher on the Red Sox staff with at least 25 innings pitched.
On Saturday, Newcomb pitched one relief inning in the first game of a doubleheader, allowing one run on one hit and one walk. But before the second game, the Red Sox designated the local player for assignment.
With an overall respectable, though unremarkable, performance in his 11 games with the Red Sox, Newcomb is expected to catch on with another team in need of middle-relief or spot-starting help.
Newcomb was only the second MLB player from Middleborough High School. The last one was Cy Morgan, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 19 games for the Boston Braves in 1921 and 1922.
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