Red Sox put Dice-K on trade waivers

The Red Sox recently put starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka on trade waivers, notes ESPN baseball Insider Buster Olney via Twitter.

Normally, this would register as little more than a blip on the radar, but considering the salary-dumping blockbuster the Sox pulled off over the weekend, can you really count anything out?

If Matsuzaka — who was brilliant in seven innings against the Royals on Monday afternoon in his first start since early July — clears trade waivers, he can be dealt to any team before the Aug. 31 deadline for players to be acquired and still be included on playoff rosters.

Conversely, if Matsuzaka is claimed, the Sox can negotiate a trade with the team claiming him, just let him go to that team or pull him back off waivers.

Matsuzaka is in the final year of his contract. If the Sox dealt him, they’d be saving a prorated amount of the $10 million he’s making this season.

It should be noted that Matsuzaka has no-trade protection, so he could block any deal.

via Olney: Sox put Dice-K on trade waivers – Boston Red Sox Blog – ESPN Boston.