CLEVELAND (AP) — Anthony Gose is ready to make a new kind of pitch to play in the majors.
Formerly a fast outfielder in the big leagues, Gose was called up from the minors by the Cleveland Indians on Monday, this time as a hard-throwing lefty reliever.
The 31-year-old Gose last played in the majors in 2016 with Detroit.
“His story is something that makes me smile, it really does,” Cleveland interim manager DeMarlo Hale said.
The Indians made the move before hosting Kansas City in a doubleheader. Gose didn’t pitch in the first game.
Drafted by Philadelphia in the second round in 2008, he spent parts of five seasons in the majors with Toronto and the Tigers before returning to the minors as a pitcher in 2017.
Gose is in his third year in Cleveland’s minor league system and drew attention with his performance at Triple-A Columbus this season.
Gose struck out 49 in 33 innings, hitting 100 mph on the radar gun and consistently throwing in the upper 90s. He walked 28 and was 6-1 with a 3.55 ERA in 28 games. Gose has pitched 13 scoreless innings, striking out 21 and walking six, in his last 11 appearances.
This summer, Gose pitched four scoreless innings for the U.S Olympic team in Tokyo.
Gose hit .240 with 57 steals in the majors. In 2015, he stole 23 bases and hit 24 doubles for the Tigers while batting .254 in 140 games. He became a pitcher after failing to make Detroit’s opening day roster in 2017.
“You think about his journey, putting in the work over the last few years, he’s got to feel good about himself and what he’s done to get to this point,” Hale said.
