Boston Red Sox Roster Rumors: Carlos Marmol Signed to Minor League Contract
Reliever Carlos Marmol gets another chance at redemption after the former All-Star signed a minor league contract for the Boston Red Sox, with the opportunity to attend the team's major league spring training.
The veteran right hander played for several teams in the major league, first with the Chicago Cubs and then with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins. He compiled a record of 23-35, along with 117 saves. He also posted a 3.57 ERA from 2006 up to 2014.
The 33-year-old had his best season back in 2008 when he participated in the All-Star Game while playing for the Cubs. After signing a one-year contract with the Marlins for $1.25 million in February 2014, he failed to perform as to what was expected of him, so the team released him three months after getting signed. He's made a living in the minors but hasn't really shown enough to lure interest from teams, up until now.
But this new contract from Boston does not guarantee him anything. As a matter of fact, it's pretty difficult to get a crack at the team's major league rotation considering that the Red Sox already have a handful of prospects. Nonetheless, the decision to sign him to a minor league contract plus an invitation to spring training is a sign that the team may have found something in him. If he's able to show up in spring and perform well, he might get that slight chance of getting to the major league at any point in the season.
If his performance with the Triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians last season is any indication, then he's in the perfect place to make an impression. He posted a very decent 2.03 ERA in 28 games. However, he still needs to address the very same problem that kept him out of the major league for two years now — control issues.
