Robert Stock is staying put with the Boston Red Sox, navigating another turn in his rollercoaster season. You can bet it hasn’t been dull for the 35-year-old pitcher, who recently faced a rough outing against the New York Yankees. The Sox decided to designate Stock for assignment after Sunday’s game, marking the second time this year he’s been through this. Yet again, Stock cleared waivers and, lacking the five years of major league service that would let him test free agency, found himself outrighted back to Triple-A Worcester.
It was one of those innings that had Red Sox fans biting their nails. Sunday night, Stock couldn’t hold a hefty six-run lead in the ninth, allowing a two-run homer to the ever-dangerous Aaron Judge and issuing three walks. Alex Cora had to call in the cavalry, turning to Aroldis Chapman to get the final out. The consequence? Chapman was overworked, hitting the mound for three straight days, which left him unavailable for the save situation in Tuesday’s win.
Despite these bumps, depth in the bullpen remains crucial, and the Red Sox have been reshuffling arms at a breakneck pace. On the heels of Stock’s reassignment, they snapped up Minnesota Twins reliever Jorge Alcala, seeking to fortify their thinning pitching roster.
Stock’s journey this season began with a minor league contract with the Red Sox during spring training. He worked his way through the ranks, showing promise with a solid 3.09 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 55 1/3 innings in Worcester. Now, he heads back, hoping to punch another ticket to the big leagues, ready to step up when the Red Sox call.
As Stock readies himself at Triple-A once more, don’t count him out. His sights are fixed on returning to the mound at Fenway, eager to contribute whenever the chance arises. That’s the baseball grind — always preparing, always waiting for that next opportunity.
