Tyler Thornburg Refused Minor League Assigment and is Expected to be Released by Red Sox

As the Boston Red Sox look to give their shambolic bullpen a facelift, Dave Dombrowski is jettisoning a lackluster reliever who hasn't been effective since 2016.

The Red Sox designated reliever Tyler Thornburg, who they acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Travis Shaw, for assignment. After Thornburg refused a minor league assignment to Pawtucket, he is expected to be released.

Thornburg's 2016 was nothing short of excellent, as he went 8-5 with a 2.15 ERA, 13 saves, and 90 strikeouts in 67 innings for the Brewers. His Red Sox career, however, was a disaster from the get go.

Thornburg missed the entire 2017 season with thoracic outlet syndrome. In 2018, his 5.63 ERA in 29 innings was indicative of someone who couldn't reinvent himself as a pitcher post-injury. After putting up a ghastly 7.71 ERA in 16 appearances in 2019, Boston finally decided that enough was enough.

After releasing fellow oft-injured reliever Carson Smith, the Red Sox have gotten out of the "injured relievers who were good four years ago" business.

Thornburg better wise up and realize that a minor league stint is what he needs, because he hasn't been a serviceable reliever since the Obama administration.