Since their establishment in 1901, the Boston Red Sox have been New England’s hometown team for over 120 years. Yet, surprisingly few players from the region have actually suited up for the club. Among the more well-known local talents who did are outfielder Tony Conigliaro of Revere, Massachusetts, who played in the 1960s; catcher Carlton Fisk from Charlestown, New Hampshire, the 1972 AL Rookie of the Year; Worcester native Rich Gedman, who caught for the 1986 World Series team; and second baseman Jerry Remy from Fall River, Massachusetts, who played for the team from 1979 to 1984 before becoming a beloved Red Sox broadcaster for over three decades. Left-hander Sean Newcomb, a 31-year-old from Middleborough, Massachusetts—about 50 miles south of Boston—won’t be joining that celebrated group. Signed to a minor-league deal in January after a stint with the Atlanta Braves, Newcomb was designated for assignment by the Red Sox.
After being designated for assignment (DFA’d), Sean Newcomb now enters a seven-day window in which the Red Sox can try to trade him or place him on waivers, where any team could claim him. If he goes unclaimed and no trade materializes, Newcomb can either accept a demotion to the minors or opt for free agency.
Once viewed as one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, Newcomb was a first-round pick (15th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, signing for \$2.5 million. However, just a year later, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. Despite the early promise, Newcomb never fully lived up to expectations in Atlanta, finishing six seasons there with a 24–23 record and a 4.25 ERA across 144 games, including 57 starts.
He earned a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster out of spring training, largely due to injuries to starters Brayan Bello and Cutter Crawford, and began the season in the rotation. After Bello returned, Newcomb was shifted to the bullpen. Although he went winless (0–4), his 3.95 ERA ranked fourth among Red Sox pitchers with at least 25 innings pitched—suggesting solid though unspectacular contributions. In his final appearance before being DFA’d, Newcomb threw one inning in relief during the first game of a doubleheader, allowing one run on one hit and one walk.
Overall, his 11-game stint with Boston was respectable, and given his left-handed arm and versatility, Newcomb is a candidate to land with another team seeking bullpen depth or occasional starts. Hailing from Middleborough, Massachusetts, he’s just the second MLB player from Middleborough High School, following Cy Morgan, who pitched for the Boston Braves in 1921 and 1922.
