The Purple Sox introduced this afternoon that they’ve chosen the contract of Robert Inventory. Proper-hander Cooper Criswell was optioned to the minors to make room on the lively roster, as was beforehand reported by Ian Browne of MLB.com. Making room for Inventory on the 40-man roster is right-hander Josh Winckowski, who was recalled to the majors and positioned on the 60-day injured record with a flexor pressure in his proper elbow.
Inventory, 35, joins the Purple Sox bullpen for the second time this 12 months. He beforehand threw two innings for the membership in an look earlier this 12 months however was outrighted off the 40-man roster shortly thereafter. A second-round choose by the Cardinals all the way in which again in 2009, Inventory didn’t debut within the majors till 2018 as a member of the Padres. He turned in a dominant exhibiting throughout his first 12 months within the majors, with a 2.50 ERA and a couple of.71 FIP throughout 39 2/3 innings of labor, however has by no means reached these heights since. He bounced between San Diego, Boston, Chicago, and Queens over the following three seasons however didn’t get a lot in the way in which of outcomes with a 7.36 ERA (5.50 FIP) in 33 frames between 2019 and 2021.
Following the 2021 season, Inventory departed affiliated ball to pitch as a starter for the KBO League’s Doosan Bears in 2022. He posted a 3.60 ERA in 165 innings of labor however didn’t stay in Asia past that season, as an alternative returning to North America to pitch for the Atlantic League’s Lengthy Island Geese and the Mexican League’s Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos. Inventory lastly returned to affiliated ball with the Purple Sox on a minor league deal this 12 months, the place he’s pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 55 1/3 innings of labor at Triple-A along with his transient stint within the majors. Now he’ll as soon as once more be tasked with serving to fill the gaps within the Purple Sox pitching employees, and maybe can present some size for the membership out of the bullpen.
Making room for Inventory on the lively roster is Criswell, a right-hander with an identical means to pitch in a wide range of roles. After spending elements of three seasons with the Angels and Rays early in his profession, Inventory arrived in Boston final 12 months settled right into a swing position with the large league membership that noticed him pitch to a stable 4.08 ERA (104 ERA+) with a 4.15 FIP in 99 1/3 innings final 12 months. These frames had been cut up between the bullpen and rotation, with 18 of his 26 MLB appearances final 12 months being begins. Issues haven’t gone as effectively for Criswell this 12 months, nonetheless as he’s struggled badly in six innings with eight runs (5 earned) allowed and as many walks (two) as he has strikeouts. He’ll head to Triple-A the place the Purple Sox will attempt to assist him get proper so he can contribute to the pitching employees later within the season.
In the meantime, Inventory will take the 40-man roster spot of Winckowski. The fitting-hander debuted with the Purple Sox again in 2022 as a back-end starter however since then has been a really efficient multi-inning reliever, with a 3.51 ERA and 4.10 FIP in 172 innings because the begin of the 2023 marketing campaign. That features a 3.86 ERA in six outings for the large league membership earlier this 12 months, however he’s been at Triple-A for over a month now. Winckowski final appeared in a Triple-A recreation on Might 11 and had been on the shelf within the minors with elbow irritation, however the membership clearly doesn’t anticipate him again any time quickly as he’ll not be eligible to return from the shelf till early August.
