The Royals announced today they've claimed lefty Aaron Laffey off outright waivers from the Yankees and designated reliever Jesse Chavez to create a 40-man roster spot.
Laffey, 26, posted a 3.88 ERA, 5.1 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 1.18 HR/9, and 48.1% groundball rate in 53 1/3 innings for the Mariners and Yankees this year. He wasn't any better against left-handed hitters. Earlier today, Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues wrote that Laffey was an expected victim of the Yankees' upcoming 40-man roster crunch.
Chavez, 28, had joined the Royals at last year's trade deadline in the Rick Ankiel/Kyle Farnsworth deal. He struggled mightily in the Majors this year but had a 3.75 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 57 2/3 Triple-A innings. Chavez averaged 94.5 miles per hour on his fastball the last few years, but that dropped a full two miles per hour this year in the Majors.
Laffey is a slight upgrade, but that’s not saying much – Chavez is just awful and has no place on the roster.
I’m glad that I no longer have to look at that creepy mustache.
Two years younger and a lefty…Laffey has more upside than Chavez. Plus once other teams fill their 40-mans, KC might be able to sneak him through outright waivers.
Welcome to Kansas City, Aaron. Tim Collins will be happy to have another lefty in the ‘pen with him
With the way Collins pitched the second half of the season, Laffey might be welcome to have Collins as HIS second guy.
I remember Jesse Chavez on the Bucs. He looked like a pederast with that mustache.