The Red Sox signed right-handed pitcher Taylor Cole to a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, the team announced Wednesday.
Cole, 32, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2019 but has made 57 career appearances with the Blue Jays (2017) and Angels (2018-19). He did not appear in affiliated ball in either 2020 or 2021 due to a shoulder injury that led to surgery in Aug. 2020 but pitched for the Tigres de Licey in the Dominican winter league, registering a 2.08 ERA (two earned runs in 8 ⅔ innings) in seven outings.
Originally a 29th round pick out of BYU in the 2011 draft, Cole spent more than a half-decade making his way through Toronto’s system before debuting (for a single inning) in 2017. He signed with the Angels after the season and spent the next two years shuffling between Triple-A and the majors, posting a 4.62 ERA (and more encouraging 3.31 FIP) in 87 ⅔ big-league innings. Cole struck out 89 batters in that span while serving as a swingman, making eight starts and appearing in relief 48 times. The highlight of his time in Anaheim came in July 2019, when he combined with Felix Peña for a no-hitter in the Angels’ first home game after the tragic death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Cole threw two hitless innings in that start.
The Red Sox tend to value versatility within their pitching staff, so Cole likely intrigued them as a pitcher who has the ability to both start and relieve. If he’s fully healthy, he could serve as a low-risk, high-reward type that could impress during camp.
Cole is Boston’s fifth non-roster invitee to major-league spring training, joining fellow pitchers Michael Feliz and Zack Kelly and outfielders Rob Refsnyder and Christin Stewart.
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