April 2, 2014 at 4:50 PM
Red Sox release Linares, Cousins, Taveras; Turocy retires
Linares was originally signed to a $750,000 bonus after defecting from Cuba in 2010. At the time of his signing he was considered an advanced defensive center fielder with good speed and power potential. Linares impressed during an invite to major league spring training in 2011, but suffered a devastating ankle injury 17 games into the regular season that cost him the rest of that year. Linares got off to a strong start with the bat in 2012 with Double-A Portland, but played more right field and designated hitter due to the lingering effects of the injury. Though he earned a midseason promotion to Pawtucket, Linares spent most of 2013 back in Double-A.
Cousins was signed to a minor league contract in the offseason. The 29-year-old hit .179/.230/.285 over parts of four major league seasons with the Marlins and Angels and is best known for the 2012 home plate collision with Giants catcher Buster Posey. Despite not receiving an invite to major league camp, Cousins appeared in seven spring training games, where he went 2 for 6.
Taveras was originally signed by the Red Sox in 2009. The 6-foot left-hander appeared in 75 games over five minor league seasons, split between the rotation and the bullpen. His most effective season was 2012 with the Lowell Spinners, as he posted a 1.99 ERA and struck out 59 in 68 innings.
Turocy was a 24th-round pick in the 2011 draft out of the University of Akron. He was having his best season in 2013, hitting .297/.347/.423 with the Low A Greenville Drive, when he suffered a back injury on July 11 that knocked him out for the rest of the season. Overall he played in 202 games as a member of the organization, split between Lowell and Greenville.