Red Sox Officially Activate Steven Wright and Send Nathan Eovaldi to 60-Day IL in Roster Shuffle

The Red Sox are getting one of their most intriguing long men back, and though the move that made it possible looks like a downer, it's mainly procedural.

Controversial knuckleballer Steven Wright is back with the team on Tuesday, sending Josh Smith to Triple-A and Nathan Eovaldi to the (gulp) 60-Day IL.

But don't fret, Boston fans. Eovaldi's not necessarily on the shelf longer than expected -- his total time on the IL already meets the 60-day threshold (he's at 64), so don't take this as a commentary on his progress, though it seems somewhat stunted. He's reportedly nearing his first bullpen session since April's elbow cleanup.

Wright, on the other hand, is returning from an 80-game PED suspension, which further checkered his ledger following a domestic violence incident in early 2018 that stemmed from an emotional argument with his wife, Ashley. That, too, merited a suspension, of 15 games.

When it's on, Wright's knuckleball is quite devastating. However, he hasn't been the picture of health since John Farrell injured his knee by calling on him to pinch run against the Dodgers in 2017 (fact), and his personal life seems to have spiraled as well. His impact on the 2019 Red Sox is a far greater question mark than in previous years.