The last time Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez addressed A.J. Cole's status, he said he had to "get him back out there to give him some chances."
He didn't say where those chances might occur.
On Friday afternoon, with the Nats in desperate need of bullpen help, the team made the tough decision to part ways with Cole, who is out of minor league options. He was designated for assignment, which immediately exposes him to waivers and allows any other team to claim the 26-year-old talented but troubled righty.
In his place, general manager Mike Rizzo selected veteran right-hander Carlos Torres from Triple-A Syracuse.
Coming into Spring Training, there was confidence that Cole might finally seize the fifth starter role. He won the job largely by default out of Spring Training, but the late signing of veteran Jeremy Hellickson suggested that the team needed a backup plan.
Sure enough, Cole got shelled in his first start against the Atlanta Braves, raising his career ERA against the team to north of 20 runs per nine innings.
Once Hellickson was appropriately stretched out, the hope was that Cole could provide needed length in a bullpen already exhausted early in the season.
Instead, he surrendered extra-base hits in both appearances, including a disastrous grand slam against the Mets this week.
Players without roles don't last long on Major League rosters and Cole was no exception.
It will be interesting to see where Cole gets his next opportunity.
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