The 35-year-old is back in the big leagues.
Who is he and where did he come from?
He’s Robert Stock. The 35-year-old comes from Bellevue, Washington, and was a second-round pick in the 2009 MLB draft. He most recently played with the Narajaneros de Hermosillo in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, where he pitched 84 1⁄3 innings and racked up ten victories. Obviously pitching for the Boston Red Sox is a different than playing in Hermosillo, Mexico. But Stock’s also done that, pitching 13 1/3 big league innings for the team in 2020.
The guy nicknamed “Cretch” had a pretty fantastic start so far in Worcester, going 8 1⁄3 scoreless in two starts allowing just four hits on twelve strikeouts. His contract has now been selected, and given that the Red Sox pitched 18 innings recently, it’s possible he pitches in the next couple of days.
Is he any good?
If by “he” you mean his tweets, yes. He seems a respectable guy by my account. But if you’re referring to his pitching ability, it’s a little more questionable. He’s had a great start to 2025 and his trajectory back to the bigs has been commendable. But there has been little evidence in the last decade that he can sit down enough batters on strikes to have staying power. But by reading him breaking pitches down on Twitter, you can tell he’s a student of the game and transparent about what he needs to improve, and he’s always had a strength at avoiding getting hard hit. It’s also comforting that he’s worked on his longevity since his last Major League stint. Take that all how you will, though.
Tl:dr; just give me his 2024 stats.
98 2⁄3 IP, 104 K, 3.38 ERA, including 10-2 with a 1.60 ERA in the MPWL
Show me a cool highlight:
Here’s a no-hitter he threw against guys that at least used to be Major Leaguers as a member of the Long Island Ducks less than 24 months ago.
What is his role on the 2025 Red Sox?
He won’t have much of one after the likes of Brayan Bello, Liam Hendriks, Patrick Sandoval and Lucas Giolito get back. He’ll be a guy that may bounce up and down and put in three or four innings here and there when it’s needed at a Major League roster. There’s also evidence that he doesn’t get taken yard much, so he may have that staying power I mentioned earlier, especially if the Red Sox offense stays hot. Think Chase Anderson last year, or what the Red Sox hope Copper Criswell may be in relief if Criswell gets back to form. As a worst case scenario, he’ll mostly put in some solid innings in Worcester, giving relievers coming up in the system a chance to play with a lead. But either way, we’ll hear candid thoughts about his game on his Twitter feed. Let’s hope he’s also fielding congratulatory mentions on the platform.