Red Sox call up Robert Stock, option Jeffrey Springs

If you like marginal pitchers being sent up and down from something called an Alternate Site to the majors, then do I have the team for you! The Red Sox are a fun combination of a lack of talent and a lack of length, which is leading to a lot of innings being needed for pitchers who are being put in tough positions. Jeffrey Springs was flung into that role on Monday, pitching very important innings after already tiring against the Rays in a close game. Things did not go well, and he was rewarded by being optioned on Tuesday to Pawtucket. Robert Stock comes up to replace him.

Springs has not had a good time in his first stint with the Red Sox, to say the least. The lefty has had a few outings so far this year, and over his 4 ²⁄₃ innings he’s pitched to a 15.43 ERA. That’s less than ideal! I will say that I think he’s had some flashes where I can be talked into him as a solid enough long man, but the bar is very low. The fact is Springs just hasn’t gotten it done, and now that he probably can’t go for a few days he has been optioned.

Coming up is yet another new face in Stock, who was recently added to the roster after being claimed off waivers shortly after the season began. The righty is a big presence on the mound with a monster fastball and major control issues. The bad news is Stock is coming off a year in which he pitched to a 10.13 ERA over 10 ²⁄₃ innings last year. The good news is two years ago he made his debut and tossed 39 ²⁄₃ innings in the majors. In that time he pitched to a 2.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 13 walks.