Cooper Criswell

American baseball pitcher (born 1996)

Baseball player

Cooper Criswell

Criswell pitching for the Angels in 2021

Boston Red Sox – No. 64
Pitcher
Born: (1996-07-24) July 24, 1996 (age 28)
Carrollton, Georgia, U.S.

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

MLB debut
August 27, 2021, for the Los Angeles Angels
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record| 7–7
Earned run average| 4.60
Strikeouts| 104
Teams

* Los Angeles Angels (2021)
* Tampa Bay Rays (2022–2023)
* Boston Red Sox (2024–present)

Cooper Timothy Criswell[1] (born July 24, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.

## Early career

[edit]

Criswell grew up in Carrollton, Georgia and attended Carrollton High School.[2]

Criswell began his college baseball career at Southern Union State Community College. As a sophomore, he compiled a 10–1 win–loss record with a 2.54 earned run average (ERA) and committed to continue his college career at the University of North Carolina.[3] In his lone season with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Criswell went 6–2 with a 2.99 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 75+1⁄3 innings pitched.[4]

## Professional career

[edit]

### Los Angeles Angels

[edit]

The Los Angeles Angels selected Criswell in the 13th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He began his professional career the following year with the Inland Empire 66ers of the Class A-Advanced California League. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

Criswell was assigned to the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas at the beginning of the 2021 minor league season.[7] Criswell made 12 starts for Double-A Rocket City, going 6–4 with a 3.71 ERA and 85 strikeouts. On July 31, Criswell was promoted to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. After going 2–1 with a 3.98 ERA and 27 strikeouts through four starts, on August 27, the Angels selected Criswell's contract.[8] He made his debut the same night, giving up three runs in 1.1 innings pitched.[9] He was optioned back to Salt Lake the next day.[10]

On April 7, 2022, Criswell was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder strain[11] and was moved to the 60-day injured list the next day to make room on the 40-man roster for Kyle Tyler.[12]

### Tampa Bay Rays

[edit]

On July 16, 2022, Criswell was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays.[13] He was designated for assignment on July 19. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Durham Bulls on July 21.[14] He made 3 starts for Durham on the year, posting a 3.09 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched.

Criswell was selected back to the active roster as a COVID-19 replacement player on September 12, 2022. He tossed 3.1 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out 4 and walking one while allowing one earned run on two hits. He was removed from the 40-man roster and returned to Triple-A the next day.

Criswell was assigned to Durham to begin the 2023 season, and made 3 starts before he had his contract selected to the active roster on April 17, 2023.[15] In 10 games for the Rays, he posted a 5.73 ERA with 27 strikeouts across 33.0 innings of work. On November 14, Criswell was designated for assignment after multiple prospects were added to the roster.[16]

### Boston Red Sox

[edit]

On December 13, 2023, the Boston Red Sox signed Criswell to a one year, $1 million contract.[17] Criswell was optioned to the Triple–A Worcester Red Sox to begin the 2024 season.[18] He was recalled to Boston on April 13 to make a start against the Los Angeles Angels.[19] In his Red Sox debut, Criswell pitched four innings; allowing five hits, two earned runs, a walk and four strikeouts as the Red Sox went on the defeat the Angels 7–2.[20]

With injuries to Red Sox starting pitchers Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Garrett Whitlock, Criswell remained in the Red Sox starting rotation.[21][22] On April 24, Criswell earned his first win with the Red Sox after pitching five scoreless innings in the 8–0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians.[21] On June 1, Criswell pitched five-plus innings in the Red Sox 6–3 win over the Detroit Tigers.[23] On June 18, Criswell was optioned to Triple-A Worcester to make room for pitcher Chris Martin who was activated from the injured list.[24][25] He was recalled to Boston on July 12.[26] After rejoining the team, Criswell showcased his versatility as both a spot-starter and high-leverage relief pitcher.[27]

## Personal life

[edit]

Criswell is the son of Dawn and Tim Criswell. Tim Criswell played college baseball at Georgia Perimeter College and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants with the 21st overall pick of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft.[28]

On December 10, 2022, Criswell married his girlfriend Alex.[29] In May 2023, the couple announced that they were expecting a child.[30] On November 9, 2023, the couple welcomed a son named Cash Alexander Criswell.[31]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Cooper Criswell Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
2. ^ Sherman, Mitch (June 16, 2018). "North Carolina pitcher gives his dad a CWS surprise". ESPN. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
3. ^ "Criswell drafted by LA Angels". Times-Georgian. June 6, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
4. ^ "27 June 2021 Game Notes" (PDF). Trash Pandas Baseball. Minor League Baseball. June 27, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
5. ^ "Angels conclude the 2018 First-Year Player Draft". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. June 6, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
6. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
7. ^ "Criswell named Double-A South pitcher of the week". The News Courier. June 23, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
8. ^ Zencka, TC (August 27, 2021). "Angels Select Cooper Criswell, Recall Packy Naughton". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
9. ^ Fletcher, Jeff (August 28, 2021). "Cooper Criswell's MLB debut ends early in Angels' loss to Padres". Orange County Register. Southern California News Group. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
10. ^ "Angels' Cooper Criswell: Optioned to Triple-A". CBS Sports. Paramount Global. August 28, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
11. ^ "Angels announce 2022 Opening Day roster". MLB.com. April 7, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
12. ^ Franco, Anthony (April 8, 2022). "Angels Claim Kyle Tyler Off Waivers From Padres". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
13. ^ "Rays Reinstate Brandon Lowe, Recall Ryan Yarbrough". mlbtraderumors. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
14. ^ "Rays' Cooper Criswell: Outrighted to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
15. ^ "Rays' Cooper Criswell: Contract selected by Rays". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
16. ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/rays-designate-calvin-faucher-cooper-criswell-for-assignment.html
17. ^ Speier, Alex (December 12, 2023). "Cooper Criswell joins Red Sox on one-year contract, adding rotation and bullpen depth". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
18. ^ "Red Sox make roster move, appear one cut away from finalizing bullpen". masslive.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
19. ^ Ounpraseuth, Jason (April 13, 2024). "Red Sox Place Utility Man On IL, Recall Pitcher To Start Vs. Angels". NESN. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
20. ^ "Los Angeles Angels vs Boston Red Sox Box Score: April 13, 2024". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
21. ^ a b "Red Sox's Cooper Criswell: Sharp in first win". www.cbssports.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
22. ^ Cotillo, Chris (May 21, 2024). "With Garrett Whitlock out, his COVID dog park throwing partner gets a chance for Red Sox". masslive. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
23. ^ "Red Sox's Cooper Criswell: Sharp in third win". CBSSports.com. June 2, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
24. ^ "Red Sox's Cooper Criswell: Sent to Triple-A". www.cbssports.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
25. ^ Cotillo, Chris (June 18, 2024). "Alex Cora explains why Red Sox sent down Cooper Criswell, shuffled rotation". masslive. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
26. ^ "Red Sox recall right-handed pitcher Cooper Criswell from Triple-A Worcester". MLB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
27. ^ "Cooper Criswell shines in no-hit relief effort". FantasyPros. July 31, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
28. ^ "Cooper Criswell - Baseball". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
29. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
30. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com.
31. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
* North Carolina Tar Heels bio

* v
* t
* e

Boston Red Sox current roster

Active roster|

* 5 Vaughn Grissom
* 7 Masataka Yoshida
* 10 Trevor Story
* 11 Rafael Devers
* 12 Connor Wong
* 16 Jarren Duran
* 22 Garrett Whitlock
* 23 Romy González
* 25 Josh Winckowski
* 30 Rob Refsnyder
* 31 Liam Hendriks
* 36 Triston Casas
* 43 Ceddanne Rafaela
* 47 Enmanuel Valdez
* 50 Kutter Crawford
* 52 Wilyer Abreu
* 54 Lucas Giolito
* 57 Greg Weissert
* 61 Chase Shugart
* 63 Justin Slaten
* 64 Cooper Criswell
* 66 Brayan Bello
* 67 Zach Penrod
* 68 Quinn Priester
* 70 David Hamilton
* 71 Cam Booser
* 72 Chris Murphy
* 75 Nick Sogard
* 76 Zack Kelly
* 77 Mickey Gasper
* 80 Richard Fitts
* 83 Brennan Bernardino
* 89 Tanner Houck
* 92 Wikelman González
* 93 Luis Perales
* 99 Luis Guerrero
* \-- Hunter Dobbins
* \-- Jhostynxon Garcia
* \-- Justin Wilson

Coaching staff|

* Manager 13 Alex Cora
* Bench 60 Ramón Vázquez
* Hitting 62 Peter Fatse
* Asst. hitting 85 Ben Rosenthal
* Asst. hitting Dillon Lawson
* Pitching 53 Andrew Bailey
* First base José Flores
* Third base 84 Kyle Hudson
* Bullpen Chris Holt
* Game planning/run prevention 33 Jason Varitek
* Bullpen catcher 90 Charlie Madden
* Bullpen catcher/catching instructor Parker Guinn

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