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Indians Designate A.J. Cole For Assignment

By Steve Adams | February 4, 2019 at 3:14pm CDT

The Indians announced that they’ve designated right-hander A.J. Cole for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to newly acquired right-hander Nick Wittgren.

If Cole’s time with the Cleveland organization is up, his stay will have been brief; the Indians only claimed him off waivers from the Yankees back on Jan 11. He’d have been in line to compete for a bullpen job in Spring Training and may still have that opportunity, though he’ll first need to clear outright waivers. If another club claims Cole, that new team will have to open the season with him on the Major League roster or else once again expose him to waivers, as Cole is out of minor league options.

Cole, who turned 27 earlier this month, gave the Yankees 38 innings of 4.26 ERA ball after being acquired from the Nationals in 2018, pitching in primarily a multi-inning relief role. Along the way, he averaged a strong 11.6 K/9 and registered an enormous 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate with a very good 34.3 percent opponents’ chase rate on out-of-zone pitches. However, he was also immensely susceptible to home runs, as he averaged 2.13 homers per nine innings pitched with the Yankees. In all, between New York and Washington, Cole yielded a staggering 15 home runs in 38 innings.

That said, Cole was at one point considered to be among the most promising pitching prospects in all of baseball, and surely the strikeout rate, swinging-strike rate and chase rate could hold appeal to another team — particularly one that is thin on rotation depth and/or has multiple bullpen spots up for grabs. He’ll need to learn to keep the ball in the yard, but the level at which Cole missed bats in 2018 would be elite if he proved it to be sustainable; the 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate he logged as a Yankee would’ve ranked 12th in the game among qualified relievers last year.

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Cleveland Guardians Transactions A.J. Cole

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View Comments (40)

Comments

  1. twinkietime

    4 years ago

    Easy come, easy go.

    Reply
  2. formerdraftpick

    4 years ago

    The Pirates ABSOLUTELY need to claim this guy so I can use my Cole jersey again.

    Reply
    • sufferfortribe

      4 years ago

      Or the Indians need to, so people can use their old Alex Cole jerseys…..if there is such a thing.

      Reply
      • Michael Chaney

        4 years ago

        Oh yeah, mine is right next to the Eddie Taubensee jersey I have in my closet (that’s a joke)

        Reply
    • Buzz Saw

      4 years ago

      Nice!

      Reply
  3. mizzourah87

    4 years ago

    I’d like to see the Royals give him a shot

    Reply
    • jfedex

      4 years ago

      yep, same here

      Reply
    • cygnus2112

      4 years ago

      Yep! He seems as though he’d have more to offer than Ben Lively for example…

      Reply
  4. Disco Dave

    4 years ago

    Los Tigres Del Norte!

    Reply
  5. Michael Chaney

    4 years ago

    He was intriguing, but probably wouldn’t have made the opening day roster, so at least they have a little more flexibility since he was out of options. Since he made it to the Indians on waivers the first time, hopefully he’ll clear.

    Reply
  6. someoldguy

    4 years ago

    This must be the guy the Twins are waiting for.

    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      4 years ago

      They had the chance to claim him prior. He was dfa by the Yankees and the twins where lower on the pole.

      Reply
  7. dirtbagfreitas

    4 years ago

    Seems like he’d be a solid fit for the Marlins. Their bullpen has pretty much nobody in it, he’s cheap, and their ballpark would help negate his biggest weakness in giving up HRs.

    Reply
    • costergaard2

      4 years ago

      Only problem is that he came from there and the Marlins cut him, but who knows…

      Reply
      • ludafish

        4 years ago

        Cole was not on the Marlins. Wittgren was…Cole could do well in MIA for the same reason the OP says. I agree I would like to see him there… Someone who can work with him and let him stay there for a bit

        Reply
  8. kreevich

    4 years ago

    Rockies: pick this guy up

    Reply
    • Matthew dunne

      4 years ago

      I’m Colorado he would give up 30 homers in 15 innings

      Reply
      • lowtalker1

        4 years ago

        Well he gives up homeruns but he feels like a power arm and that’s what Colorado wants in Denver

        Reply
        • Michael Chaney

          4 years ago

          It doesn’t matter how hard he’d throw if every pitch ended up in the cheap seats at Coors Field

        • lowtalker1

          4 years ago

          I think you vastly underestimate how good of a pitching coach bud Black was and how he continues to help pitchers even as manager

        • Michael Chaney

          4 years ago

          Oh I know, but my reply was more because the previous comment said that he gives up home runs but at least he throws hard

        • Polish Hammer

          4 years ago

          How did that work out for Shaw?

    • tim815

      4 years ago

      Should they trade talent for him? Or simply hope for a waiver claim?

      Reply
  9. Begamin

    4 years ago

    I wasnt too impressed with this guy when he was on the Yankees. He did alright, but i felt like he fell into a bit of good luck. Surprised that the Indians dropped him though. Although Cole might be that good, the Indians bullpen is in rough shape and its not really getting any better. If I were them I’d have as much competition as possible coming into spring since the bullpen is already just a bunch of scraps.

    Reply
  10. Christopher_Oriole

    4 years ago

    Orioles should take a flyer on this guy.

    Reply
    • jbigz12

      4 years ago

      Agreed. His issue is giving up HRS though. Probably not going to get any better in Camden Yards. Nonetheless I like his arm more than some guys we have on our 40

      Reply
      • Christopher_Oriole

        4 years ago

        Yeah, OPACY won’t help his HR issues, but he could be a decent flip if he knocks them down for a half a season.

        Reply
  11. HalosHeavenJJ

    4 years ago

    Pretty sure getting him out of the AL East bandboxes like NY and Fenway would help with that HR problem.

    I wouldn’t mind the Angels claiming him and giving him a shot in Spring Training. Worst case is you end up putting him on waivers at the same time other teams are putting tons of other teams are waiving guys.

    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      4 years ago

      I believe as a collective whole NL Central would be more homeruns due to smaller parks. Imo al west would be the best spot.
      Sure you got Texas but that new park should take away homeruns.
      Nl west has Colorado and az

      Reply
    • jbigz12

      4 years ago

      Being in the NL east didn’t help him either. He really just needs to stop giving up hrs or it’s going to be a short career.

      Reply
  12. francys08

    4 years ago

    Come on, I thought he was going to remain with Cleveland for this coming season. What team will claim him now? Can it be the San Francisco Giants, Blue Jays or Red Sox?

    Reply
  13. sfjackcoke

    4 years ago

    How does a guy who can’t get LHH out get acquired by the NYY and spends 5 months on their roster in that home ballpark? Someone needs to teach him a pitch that gives him a chance against LHH and then maybe he’s a guy who can go through the order one time. Clearly there’s some swing & miss to his arsenal.

    SF has a hitter unfriendly RF maybe there, or maybe the guys in PIT or CHW can help him they seem to be good at that.

    Reply
  14. Buzz Saw

    4 years ago

    A’s could use him. I believe they traded fro him before then traded him back to Washington

    Reply
  15. Tiger_diesel92

    4 years ago

    Why you guys aren’t showing about a potential trade between Yankees and giants for ellsbury for Cueto ?

    Reply
    • Cashford64

      4 years ago

      Wtf? No.

      Reply
  16. Oxford Karma

    4 years ago

    He’s sneaky bad, if there is such a thing. He’ll walk a tight rope and get out of it a couple times. As soon as you start to trust him again, he gets lit up.

    Reply
  17. Rightout

    4 years ago

    Tigers should give Cole a shot….cause why not

    Reply
    • stymeedone

      4 years ago

      And who should they waive to make room for him?

      Reply
  18. Yankeepatriot

    4 years ago

    He’s terrible, Indians saved their fans a lot of headaches with this move

    Reply
  19. tank62

    4 years ago

    A J Cole
    BAY BAY!!!!

    Reply

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