Phillies Invite Three Additional Players to Spring Training

January 16, 2013

The Phillies have invited three additional players to major league spring training as non-roster invitees, the club announced today.

Aaron Cook, RHP – Cook spent the majority of the 2012 season with the Boston Red Sox, going 4-11 with a 5.65 ERA in 18 starts. He also made six starts for triple-A Pawtucket, where he posted a 3-0 record and a 2.41 ERA. The 33-year-old right-hander spent the previous 10 seasons pitching for the Colorado Rockies (2002-11), finishing as the franchise’s all-time leader in wins (72), innings (1,312.1) and starts (206). Originally a second round selection by Colorado in the June 1997 draft, Cook has gone 76-79 with a 4.60 ERA in 256 career major league games (224 starts).

Juan Cruz, RHP – Cruz, 34, went 1-1 with three saves and a 2.78 ERA in 43 appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. The 12-year major league veteran has a career record of 38-36 with a 4.05 ERA in 447 games (38 starts) for the Chicago Cubs (2001-03), Atlanta Braves (2004), Oakland Athletics (2005), Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-08), Kansas City Royals (2009-10), Tampa Bay Rays (2011) and Pirates (2012). Additionally, he has averaged 9.05 strikeouts per nine innings (659 SO, 655.0 IP) over his major league career. A native of Bonao, Dominican Republic, Cruz was originally signed by Chicago as an amateur free agent in July of 1997.

Rodrigo Lopez, RHP – Despite making two separate trips to the disabled list with a strained right groin and a right shoulder strain, Lopez appeared in 18 games (15 starts) with triple-A Iowa and four games with the Chicago Cubs last season. He also pitched for Culiacan in the Mexican Winter League, where he went 5-1 with a 0.94 ERA in seven games (six starts). The 37-year-old has spent parts of 11 major league seasons with the San Diego Padres (2000), Baltimore Orioles (2002-06), Colorado Rockies (2007), Phillies (2009), Arizona Diamondbacks (2010) and Cubs (2011-12), compiling a record of 81-89 with a 4.82 ERA in 257 career games. He was originally signed by the Padres as an amateur free agent in March of 1995.