Red Sox Call Up Intriguing 35-Year-Old Righty For First MLB Appearance Since 2021

The Boston Red Sox are tweaking their pitching staff, and a true journeyman within the organization is getting the call to the big leagues.

Boston's pitching staff was depleted after Sunday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. The bullpen worked a grand total of 9 1/3 innings, and with no day off before a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, they needed some additional support.

They made the proper roster moves to get that support on Monday, bringing a pitcher with a fascinating baseball story back to the active roster for the second time in his roundabout Red Sox career.

On Monday, the Red Sox announced that they had added right-handed pitcher Robert Stock to the 40-man roster and placed him on the major league roster. In a corresponding move, fellow righty Cooper Criswell was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

Stock, 35, last pitched for the Red Sox in 2020 and in the major leagues in 2021. He spent time in Triple-A, Korea, and Mexico over the ensuing three seasons and joined the Red Sox on a spring training non-roster invitation after dominating in the Mexican winter league.

Stock has thrown a total of 72 2/3 innings at the big-league level for four teams, putting up a 4.71 ERA, striking out 76, and walking 40.

For Triple-A Worcester this season, Stock has looked brilliant, throwing 8 1/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. He has worked diligently throughout the past few years to change his delivery and now mostly throws sidearm, but delivers his four-seam fastball from a more traditional over-the-top arm slot.

The Red Sox were able to add a player to the 40-man roster because of the trade they made earlier in the day, sending righty Quinn Priester to the Milwaukee Brewers for an intriguing outfield prospect and the 33rd pick in the 2025 draft.

Criswell, meanwhile, was able to be demoted thanks to the league granting the Red Sox a fourth option for him before the season, meaning they can now move him back and forth freely between Triple-A and the majors for the second year in a row without having to designate him for assignment.

It's a safe bet that Criswell will be back in the mix soon enough, but for now, it's Stock's time to shine. The bullpen will need him to give them some innings at some point during the week, and depending on how well he does, he could carve out a more significant role down the road.