Pirates release Webster 3 weeks after trade
PITTSBURGH -- Less than a month after acquiring Allen Webster, the Pirates have released the 25-year-old right-hander so he can continue his career overseas.
The Pirates picked up Webster, once a top prospect in the Red Sox's system, from the D-backs in exchange for cash considerations on Nov. 25. He appeared to be a bounce-back candidate under the tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage, but now he will pitch in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Webster was out of Minor League options, so the D-backs designated him for assignment last month. The Pirates added him to their roster, believing they could find a role for him, but he had already begun making plans to pitch in Korea at that point.
"We acquired pitcher Allen Webster with the intent of helping him reach his potential as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates," general manager Neal Huntington said Monday in a statement. "Unfortunately, the process of signing with a Korean club had begun prior to us acquiring him and after extended discussions, we chose to honor Allen's wishes and support his desire to pursue an opportunity to sign with a Korean club. We wish him success in Korea."
The Pirates were involved in a similar situation last offseason, when they claimed right-hander Josh Lindblom from the A's only a few weeks before he signed with the KBO's Lotte Giants.
Webster went 1-1 with a 5.81 ERA in nine appearances, including five starts, for the D-backs in 2015. In parts of three Major League seasons, he is 7-6 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP.