Josh Taylor (baseball)


Josh Earl Taylor is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Listed at and, he throws and bats left-handed.

Career

Taylor attended Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona. He attended and played college baseball at Scottsdale Community College and Georgia College & State University.

Philadelphia Phillies

Taylor signed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization as an undrafted free agent in August 2014. In three games in the Gulf Coast League, he pitching innings while allowing no earned runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Taylor was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in July 2015. Overall with two Class A teams in 2015, Taylor made 24 appearances with a 3.96 ERA and an 8–8 record. In 2016, Taylor pitched at both the Class A-Advanced and Double-A levels, appearing in a total of 26 games while compiling a 5–11 record with 5.36 ERA. Taylor spent most of 2017 at the Double-A level, along with a single appearance in the rookie-level Arizona League. Overall, his 2017 record was 4–7 with a 4.96 ERA in 34 games.

Boston Red Sox

In May 2018, Taylor was acquired by the Boston Red Sox as the player to be named later from an earlier trade for Deven Marrero. At the time, he had been playing for the Class A-Advanced Visalia Rawhide; the Red Sox assigned him to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, and in September he was promoted to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. Overall during 2018, Taylor appeared in 48 games, all in relief, with a 3.35 ERA and 3–7 record with 13 saves.
The Red Sox added Taylor to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season. He started the 2019 season with Triple-A Pawtucket. On May 29, he was called up to the major leagues for the first time, making his debut that day against the Cleveland Indians. Taylor was optioned back to Pawtucket on June 10, then recalled on June 14. Overall with the 2019 Red Sox, Taylor appeared in 52 games, compiling a 2–2 record with a 3.04 ERA and 62 strikeouts in innings.
On July 4, 2020, it was announced that Taylor had tested positive for COVID-19.