The Red Sox announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Robert Stock. Fellow righty Cooper Criswell was optioned to Triple-A Worcester to open an active roster spot. The Sox had a 40-man vacancy after trading Quinn Priester to the Brewers earlier today.
If Stock gets into a game, it will be his first big league appearance in years. He pitched in the bigs from 2018 to 2021 but has been away from the show since then. During that previous stretch in the majors, he pitched for the Padres, Red Sox, Cubs and Mets. He tossed 72 2/3 innings, allowing 4.71 earned runs per nine. He struck out 23.1% of batters faced, gave out walks to 12.2% of opponents and got grounders on 49.8% of balls in play.
He has continued playing baseball since then, travelling the globe in the process. In 2022, he made 29 starts for the Doosan Bears in the KBO League in Korea, posting a 3.60 ERA. He was back in North America in 2023, having signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. But he got lit up in 23 innings, posting an 8.22 ERA, before getting released and landing in Indy Ball.
He pitched for Tecos de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League last year, putting up a 3.38 ERA in 98 2/3 innings over 19 starts. He hung around in Mexico for winter ball, playing for Naranjeros de Hermosillo. He tossed 84 1/3 innings in 14 starts for that club with a 1.60 ERA, prompting the Red Sox to sign him to a minor league deal in January. He logged three spring innings for the Sox, allowing four earned runs. He then reported to Triple-A Worcester, tossing 8 1/3 scoreless innings over one start and one long relief appearance.
For the Sox, Saturday’s game against the Cardinals was postponed by the weather, forcing a Sunday doubleheader. The Sox won both games yesterday but one of them went to ten innings. They used nine pitchers on the day overall. Criswell threw the final three innings of the nightcap and likely wouldn’t have been available for the next few days.
With the group fairly taxed, Stock has been added to give the bullpen an extra guy capable of throwing multiple innings. If another fresh arm is needed in the coming days, Stock is out of options. That means he would have to be bumped off the 40-man in order to be removed from the active roster.
Photo courtesy of Rick Cinclair, Imagn Images.
Mystery solved.
Zeus – No, it’s still a mystery.
35-year-old with a career 4.71 ERA and 1.61 WHIP who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021 … what could possibly go wrong?
Yeah I know, I know …. “Great move, brilliant front office, Priester was garbage, Stock has 8 wonderful innings in AAA this year” ……
Sure, yep, whatever ;O)
Fever,
You’re not putting much Stock into this move?
I’ll see myself out.
Acoss – Having seen him in the bullpen just now, I must say he looks somewhat Stock-y.
I’m right behind you ;O)
Last man inthe pen for a few days following a DH. We’ll survive the experience…
How are you liking Abreu? I was defending him all winter, but even I never expected this! Where are his critics now?
Wait – Yeah I’m thinking he’s here until Bello returns, which I’m hearing will be next week in Tampa. Surviving will depend on Cora’s managing ;O)
Yeah I know, right? Can’t say enough about Abreu. I have his biggest critic muted. LOL! Wilyer right now is the best all-around player on the team. He’s got only 83 career PA’s against LHP, I think he can maintain at least the .750 OPS he currently has against them this year which is fine with me.
Looking forward to Mr. Fitts tonight! And I was fine with the scheduling change, gives the rest of the rotation an extra day’s rest.
The rotation change caught me by surprise, but in retrospect it made great sense. Guessing the team wanted to get Dobbins that spot start, and he did great for a raw rookie! Helps that they were able to bring him up as the 27th man for the DH. So yeah, pushing Fitts back rather than having him warm up two days in a row made perfect sense.
The key with Abreu, especially against LHP, is his plate discipline. He is swinging at just 13.6% of balls out of the strike zone, vs. 74.4% of balls IN the strike zone. That is a HUGE differential between the two, over 60%. Only Vargas is less likely to swing at a ball and he isn’t as good at swinging at strikes.
It’s the willingness to swing hard that makes Devers successful, but Devers has historically also swung at 30%+ of balls out of the strike zone. (Improved so far this year now that he can focus on his hitting instead of having to worry about his glove.) Abreu is matching Devers on that swing rate with one of the best chase rates in the league. And while he might not have quite the raw power when he connects, he does a mighty nice job with what he has…
Or I could just say “Wow!” and leave it at that?
He threw 56 pitches in his rehab start yesterday. Your sources are wrong
They aren’t “critics” — the word is troll.
Wait – I had forgotten to add, I’d rather have Fitts facing a division rival than the Cards …. that was probably the biggest reason why I was okay with the change.
Fitts pitched great considering the opponent, the weather and the sloppy defense because of the weather. The Abreu bobble was clearly from the wet baseball, glad it wasn’t ruled an error. Fitts is nuts to wear short sleeves with 32° windchill.
Now hold up there ….. chasing is not always a bad thing! Devers has been one of the best out-of-the-strike-zone hitters in MLB for years, I don’t want him to be another JD Drew, if he can hit a ball two feet off the ground or a foot outside the zone, he should do it! I’m glad he’s getting back to his typical great hitting.
You know who is a real mess? Wong. The guy had his second obstruction of the season tonight, he was picked off base the other day, and he can’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag. I hope his hand is alright, but it’s honestly not a big loss if he goes on the IL.
And Hamilton is kinda worrying me …. poor defense, not hitting, and getting picked off second base. If that keeps up I want KC back at 2B when either Anthony or Yoshida get activated.
He sucked here too. He better just be giving criswell a chance to start in AAA and he’ll be the fresh mop up guy in Boston.
Stock reinvented himself as side arm pitcher last year in the Mexican Leagues. He pitched well in his AAA appearance it doesn’t hurt to add him because you can just dfa him when Bello or Gio come back. It’s a nothing move really just a bulk innings arm kind of like Criswell maybe he can get righties out a little better he definitely throws harder.
Bruin – As long as Cora doesn’t use Stock in a high leverage situation, that’s our concern.
Can’t be much worse than Criswell. Granted, errors hurt him the other day but when the guy barely holds a gigantic lead, he doesn’t belong.
let – Yeah I don’t know what’s wrong with Cooper, he was a nice find last year but this year so far not good.
clearly that j0ke went over certain people’s heads…
They’ll deny it later though
yea…..but its awesome to see who did get it! “you’re coming in too damn fast ,Stryker”!
Surely you cannot be serious.
I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue!
no surprise in terms of Criswell. being sent down. it was that or a Turkish prison…
I came here looking for this thank you
What’s up with all the guys who last played in 2021 coming back to the bigs lately?
Nothing.
Yikes! Robert Stock is back in Fenway…I hope whatever he did in Mexico to save his career can carry over to MLB. His fastball has certainly improved but I haven’t seen him pitch much except for Spring Training.
He might only be here for a week or two (until Giolito or Bello are ready), but it would be a great story if he can come in, dominate, and stay on as a contributing member of the bullpen. I’m pulling for him!
Dotty – His wife is entertaining, that’s for sure!
We need more Bob’s in MLB. Drop the Robert, Robbie, and Bobby and embrace the Bob again.
Stein – Chase Field was better when it was named “The Bob”.
How can you go wrong with a name that’s the same both forward and backward?
Your name is Taco cat?
I got a meeting with the Bobs.
kc – Are they saying “I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful!”?
Phillies legend
Perhaps his next unsolved mystery can be to find out if Criswell ever had an out pitch
Rsox – As Cooper left Fenway Park today, he could be heard mumbling over and over “Perfect game, 52 pitches, Rich Hill” ……
Would an outstanding performance on his part be described as being ‘untouchable?’
Not a great time to be buying stock
Boston decides to invest in Stock just as the market is crashing.
The plan was always to use Stock as a fresh mop up arm and then DFA him. For a team like the Sox the cost is nothing and he will likely not be claimed and accept a AAA spot.
It’ll make a nice feel good story if he gets stupendous run support and gets the W.
I love this guy.
Well at least there’s one stock that’s actually going up
I prefer Bonds, Barry or Bobby. Then again, I’m old school
What about Don Money? Norm Cash? Dave Cash?