After being designated for assignment by the Red Sox on Friday, right-hander Austin Brice has cleared waivers and was subsequently outrighted to Triple-A Worcester, the team announced earlier Saturday afternoon.
Brice, who turned 29 last month, was designated for assignment for a second time this season so that the Sox could make room on both their 26-man and 40-man rosters for outfield prospect Jarren Duran.
The 6-foot-4, 238 pound righty opened the year in Boston’s bullpen for a second straight year, but got off to a rough start in which he posted a 6.94 ERA and .867 OPS over 12 appearances (11 2/3 innings pitched) before getting designated for a first time on May 21.
After clearing waivers, however, Brice was outrighted to Worcester on May 25, and he found success there by pitching to the tune of a 1.20 ERA and .140 batting average against in 12 games (one start) and 15 innings of work.
With that recent run of success in his back pocket, Brice earned a promotion back up to the Red Sox on July 10 and appeared in a game that same day, though he surrendered one run over two innings in an 11-2 loss to the Phillies at Fenway Park.
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Sox decided it was an appropriate time to call up Duran ahead of their series against the Yankees in the Bronx, and that decision ultimately led to Brice losing his spot on the 40-man.
Now that he is back in Worcester, Brice re-joins a WooSox bullpen that includes the likes of Brandon Brennan, Matt Hall, Kevin McCarthy, Phillips Valdez, and Marcus Walden, among others.
If the Red Sox were to call up Brice, who is out of minor-league options, again at some point later this season, they would need to open up a spot on their 40-man roster in order to accommodate him.
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