According to Burt Wilson, the Red Sox have signed right-handed pitcher J.D. Durbin to a minor league deal.

Durbin, 31, has not seen time in the major leagues since 2007, when he split time with the Phillies and Diamondbacks. His ERA for the year was 6.06 over 65 innings, including 10 starts. He has not fared particularly well in Triple-A, either, with a 5.00 career ERA there. Even in his recent stint in the independent leagues Durbin was more of a back-end starter.

The Red Sox, of course, recognize that, and by Durbin's own admission see him as a Triple-A starter who would only see time in the majors in case of emergency. As of now, Durbin does not have an invitation to spring training, though he told Wilson that he hopes to earn one with a good early showing in Fort Myers.

Chances are this is the last we hear of Durbin, but nobody can ever complain about minor league signings or depth.w