The Yankees announced that they’ve designated righty A.J. Cole for assignment in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Troy Tulowitzki, whose one-year, Major League contract is now official.
The Yankees bought Cole from the Nationals last April, acquiring him in exchange for cash after Washington had designated the one-time top prospect for assignment themselves. Cole gave the Yankees 38 innings of 4.26 ERA ball from that point forth, pitching in primarily a multi-inning relief role. Along the way, Cole offered some signs of encouragement, as he averaged 11.6 K/9 and registered an enormous 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate with a very good 34.3 percent opponents’ chase rate on out-of-zone pitches.
However, Cole was also exorbitantly homer-prone, yielding nine long balls for an average of 2.13 homers per nine innings pitched. That’s been an ongoing problem for the 26-year-old in each of the past three MLB seasons, as he’s averaged a staggering 1.9 homers per nine innings in that time. In 148 innings at the big league level, Cole has a 5.05 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9.
its_happening
AJ Cole is another arm that a bad team in rebuild mode should consider. Jays, O’s, Royals, Tigers, Marlins, Rangers….
Slipknot37
Im surprised the Yankees aqcuired him last year. He did pitch decent though. I agree. A team will want him thats rebuilding. I hope the marlins get him
Yankeepatriot
He wasn’t decent at all
Slipknot37
With Yankees he posted a 4.26 era. Had 49 strikeouts in 38 innings batters hit .258 against him. Its not great. But its decent. What does raise some red flags for me are the homeruns: 9 in those 38 innings. But someone will definitely take a chance.
ripcookies
He was better than kahnle
Yankeepatriot
That’s not saying much
lowtalker1
Larger pitcher friendly park with a. Rebuilding team and he will look like an all star
slider32
Kahnle has a better upside, he was great 2 years ago.
Troutmagnet
He wasn’t decent at all for the Yankees, but for the bottom feeders like my Jays he will do just fine for now.
Old User Name
Lowtalker… A larger park like Yosemite.
GareBear
Miami or Kauffman should suffice
Joe Gannon
He also will likely not be pitching his home games in a HR paradise like Yankee Stadium when he goes somewhere else.
Darryl Rose
He could give a home run pitching on an airport tarmac.
rjsuitor
Like the Grand Canyon maybe the ball will stay in the park
Zach725
Makes sense for the Marlins.
Michael Chaney
The Royals especially; their park is a little bigger and any one of their outfielders could run something down
cygnus2112
My thoughts exactly! Miami & Detroit with their expansive dimensions would be a fit as well…
Darryl Rose
Can they run to oklahoma?
JayKCU
I agree the Royals need to take a chance on him. With that big ballpark why not?
acarneglia
Cole actually pitched well with the Yankees when he had opportunities. I’m sure he will get another chance, possible in MIL or SD.
Yankeepatriot
You must have seen a different person then
seamaholic 2
Homer rates are highly random in small samples. He allows about 3 fewer dingers last year and all of a sudden he’s a really good reliever. Have a feeling someone will get more from him than the Yanks get from Tulo.
wrigleywannabe
His homer rate in 148 career innings is 1.9 hr per 9 IP.
That’s not a small sample.
BrandonBrave91
148 innings is what… a little more than half a season for a starter?
bastros88
he was actually pretty great early on, but had a rough second half
mikeyst13
High BB/9, terrible GB%, high BABIP… Pretty much the exact opposite of what the Brewers front office has been looking for in pitchers so I highly doubt it would be there.
joepanikatthedisco
As long as he wants to start 30 games and pitch 10 innings, he’ll be right at home on the brewers
chadkaboom
I can see the indians picking him up. They usually have good luck finding bullpen talent
Samuel
@ chadkaboom;
Not much at all since Callaway left.
Mets would do well to step in and turn Cole over to Callaway and Eiland.
Truth be told, Rothschild has not been terribly effective the past few years with pitchers trying to establish themselves. He’s OK re calibrating veterans that are out of kilter.
Yankeepatriot
Boone put this bum in so many close games last season smh. Thank god he’s gone !
timw3558
bum that’s made it further than little league career ever did
driftcat28 2
If only Boone would be gone next
gotothevideotape
AMEN
Slevin
Welcome back from your suspension!!
gotothevideotape
You are an arz if you really think I was suspended, I have been posting in an alias, watching you make more of a jerk of yourself posting and being nasty to others.
BONG, BOOM, BASH, Smash
You are not as smart as only you think you are because I have had most of your personal posts to me removed.
Now that I feel like I have won the lotto, I will sit and watch again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR maybe not, you’ll never know
Samuel
@ Yankeepatriot;
Not in games I saw…..
Cole did a lot of mop-up duty, and was withheld from close games.
Yankeepatriot
You missed a lot of his games then. Boone put him in numerous close games and it made me sick of Boone
costanza
Definitely still has promise, he was pretty solid out of the pen for the yanks outside of maybe 4 or so tough outings out of close to 30 appearances.
Yankeepatriot
I saw a lot of his games and he was a nightmare when he came in. He started hot but then regressed to what he really is
Matthew De Lorge
Exactly! He looked great the first handful of game he came in on, but quickly sucked, and yet they kept him on the roster. I will admit, they did let him go long stretches without pitching, so I wonder if any of that led to the bad performance. But all in all, he was there as a long man/mop u guy and failed.
So glad he got DFA’d because at least I know that THEY know he sucks lol
Darryl Rose
Yes If I remember correctly those five rough outings were June, July, August. September and 2015-2017.
kimjongun2.0
Lost a good reliever for a guy that as I type just pulled a groin and a hammy
fasbal1
A lot of guys pull their groin but never go on the DL.
driftcat28 2
Hope you’re talking about Robertson because Cole is not good at all
fasbal1
If he would just get hooked up with Astros his spin rate would increase 150%…look at the other Cole.
driftcat28 2
Good
Macho King OG
Good riddance, and he can take Cessa with him.
Gleyborday
Hes next when Britton signs probably
Darryl Rose
This!!!
Disco Dave
hey Al…Comerica should hold some of those long balls…
Clarkwburnett
Hopefully Cessa is next,Cole started strong and then became absolutely horrible in Key situations.Not sorry to see him go.
stretch123
Pick him up Marlins. Won’t hurt…
le r.
Sounds perfect for a team using the “Opener” strategy. A’s?
national pastime
I hope he clears and Yankees get him back.
saratoga
Thank God!!!!
Luke Strong
To me, there is no justification for the Tulo signing when it means Cole gets released as a result… at this point in his career, no chance Tulo is more valuable than a 26 year old Cole. I do not understand the move at all by the Yankees, especially when I don’t even see Tulo making the team.
Yankeepatriot
Tulo is league minimum bench depth with experience and a potential (but extremely unlikely) lightning in a bottle and cole is a scrub reliver who is a dime a dozen
What is wrong with this again ? Lol
Slevin
Well 10-15 real MLB teams feel differently on whether Tulo was worth it.
mikeyst13
Tulo is only 1 year removed form a 3.4 War season, will be on a minimum contract, and by all accounts looked good in his workouts. There’s a pretty good chance he could wind up better than a negative WAR reliever with a high walk rate and low ground ball percentage pitching in Yankee Stadium. Maybe he makes the roster and maybe not, but he provides some flexibility due to injury or future roster moves.
Darryl Rose
Seriously? Cole is beyond terrible and Tulo can supply solid defense and may hit as well.
At least Tulo has been good. When has Cole not sucked?
bravesfan
Cole is that guy with a ton of potential that everyone thinks they can fix
Darryl Rose
His WHIP for the past four seasons
1.61
1.33
1.50
1.59
Career ERA is over 5.00
At some point it would be nice if some of that potential got someone out.
reflect
Obviously making room for Machado
Darryl Rose
Or Stevie Wonder.
bkwalker510
Never forget AJ Cole and Ian Krol we’re part of the same trace once
Emerson83
“I bless the rains down in Africa” Is that what he’s saying?
tank62
AJ Cole
Bay bay
Yankeepatriot
lmao #undisputedera
Samuel
Ownership can spend money…….
But a large segment of Yankee fans stand out as the most entitled, front-running, low baseball-IQ, classless fans in all of MLB.
Darryl Rose
Hey we aren’t front-running.
tank62
What are you going on about? Samuel
Indiansjoe
Hey Dolan, there’s fresh meat on the scrap pile…..hurry up before the flies sign him…I’m mean get on him
TooToughToScuffle
Wins Above A Replacement: -0.1
rjsuitor
One DFA Down AJ Cole One more to go Luis Cessa Never been this happy since the Yankees gave Sugar Shane Robinson his DFA walking papers
shortytallz
50man roster. Get it done, mlbpa
bdpecore
He has a good arsenal of pitches so I’m guessing his issue stems from a lack of control which allows batters to sit back and wait on his fastball or he’s tipping his pitches. Either way it can be corrected with the right pitching coach and adjustments. I’d take a flyer on him if I thought my coaches could help him make the necessary adjustments.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
The Pirates should grab Cole and assign him #45. Got to sell that merch.
hammertime510
A’s
RedRooster
Preller should claim him and DFA Pirela
Jonthunder
Weird.
Christmas was over a week ago.
Waddupitsyahboy
Getting DFA’d on your birthday—ouch.
kreevich
Colorado.