BOSTON - Ryan Cook was not paying much attention to the MLB trade deadline.
He was busy playing some cards with his Nashville Sounds teammates before a game.
But the Sox took a small gamble of their own at the same time, making a trade for the one-time All-Star Cook in hopes that a buy-low reliever can turn into a reliable option out of the pen in 2016.
Cook got the call from Athletics Assistant GM David Forst telling him of the news. Then he heard from Red Sox GM Ben Cherington.
Nashville might be a nice little town, but Cook was happy to leave there for Boston.
"I'm excited," Cook said in the Red Sox clubhouse on Sunday. "I'm excited to get over here. I got the call and couldn't get on the plane fast enough to get over here."
Cook doesn't know yet what his role will be on the Sox, and doesn't see one that suits him better over another at this point.
"I just got to go out there and pitch and hopefully have great success and we'll talk about that later."
Cook was an All-Star in 2012, and is a combined 13-9 with a 2.60 ERA in 196 appearances (190.2 IP) from 2012-2014. This season was different. He made four appearances for the A's before being demoted to their triple-A affiliate in Nashville with a 10.38 ERA.
"This season was a little bit of a grind," Cook said. "Tried to change a few things up in spring training, and in doing so it pushed me back. Then I had to kind of learn my delivery over again. It took a little bit longer than I wanted it to, but I feel like I'm back to where I need to be."
Cook was activated to the Red Sox 25-man roster on Sunday with Rick Porcello hitting the disabled list. With the overuse out of the bullpen, it won't be long until Cook gets a chance to prove that his troubles from earlier this season are a thing of the past.
