2:32pm: The Twins announced that Worley has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Rochester. He'll remain in the organization, and the 40-man roster now stands at 39, which will give them the flexibility to add one of their minor league signings to the active roster at the end of Spring Training.
10:53am: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that Worley was placed on waivers on Wednesday, meaning that his waiver period expires today.
10:46am: The Twins have placed right-hander Vance Worley on waivers, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Any team can claim the 26-year-old, as Minnesota looks to free up a spot on its 40-man roster.
Acquired from the Phillies (along with prospect Trevor May) just last offseason in exchange for Ben Revere, Worley struggled tremendously in his first year with Minnesota and hasn't shown improvement in Spring Training this year. Worley posted a 7.21 ERA with 4.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 47.1 percent ground-ball rate in 48 2/3 innings with the Twins in 2013 — a year in which he was their Opening Day starter. His Spring Training struggles have been even more pronounced, as he's allowed 16 runs on 22 hits and five walks in 10 2/3 innings — good for a 13.50 ERA.
Worley looked to be emerging as a solid mid-rotation or back-end starter in parts of three seasons with the Phillies prior to the trade. Over 277 1/3 innings with Philadelphia, he posted a 3.50 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. However, an unusual number of Worley's strikeouts were of the looking variety, making that strikeout rate more difficult to sustain than if he were a swing-and-miss pitcher. Worley had just a 5.5 percent swinging-strike rate in his time with the Phillies, suggesting that his solid strikeout totals were due for some regression, especially when considering a move to the American League. Worley also underwent elbow surgery to remove bone chips and spurs late in the 2012 season, so it's possible that some of his struggles are due to lingering effects of that operation.
Worley currently has two years, 33 days of Major League service time, so he'd qualify for arbitration were he to spend the bulk roughly five months on the big league roster this season. He's out of options, so any team that wishes to claim him will have to be willing to carry him on its 25-man roster or risk losing him to waivers again at the end of Spring Training.
We’d kindly take him back as
Some depth
Worley got killed by both a HR/FB% and LB% that were, respectively, well above and below league average last year, there is reason to believe he will improve. 2013 HR/FB: Worley 15.5% v League Average 10.5%, LB: 65.2% v 73.5%.
Seriously though, the Phillies could use him.
Vance Worley for Michael Taylor actually makes some level of sense for both teams. Taylor is out of options and Worley on waivers. Makes too much sense to actually happen
Are you serious?
yep..Both guys don’t have jobs with current teams.
Or any team interested in Worley could have just, you know, claimed him…
Boy Luis Ayala vs. Vance Worley?
Apparently Ayala contacted the O’s, but I always liked Vance.
Not sure why he’s floundered, but the O’s should take a look here.
Bummer. I really liked Worley coming to the Twins. I figured even if he was going from NL to AL, going from a bandbox like CBP to a more pitching friendly place like Target Field would mitigate some of that.
Enter…the Jays
The Phillies should be all over this. There is practically no depth and here is a guy who was pretty successful in Philly. Hopefully he would be able to find some success again on a return to the organization, but if not what have they got to lose?
They should absolutely bring him back.
With numbers that bad in Spring Training, I’d suspect Worley’s got something wrong with himself mechanically. Pitchers don’t perform this badly (even in exhibition games) unless something is out of whack. Like him or not, Worley has been somewhat successful in the Majors. I’d be more than happy for my team to sign him to a minor league deal, have one of my pitching coaches break down his mechanics, show him the video compared to where he was in Philly a couple of years ago, and build him back up again. For the cost of his contract and an investment of time you might end up with a more than serviceable starting pitcher who could pay dividends down the road.
For what its worth, the Twins pitching coach said that during warm ups he was pitching great but once the game started the ball would start elevating over the plate. He seems to suggest that it is mental issues that is contributing to Worley’s struggles. The fact is he is too hittable, his last ST start he threw 61 pitches and zero were swinging strikes.
Worley battled control problems all last season, but issues started showing up in Philly before they dealt him to Minnesota. Sounds like he needs to have somebody compare video of him throwing in 2011 to how he looked in the last couple of weeks.
Rhett Bollinger, the MLB.com guy on the Twins beat, has tweeted that since his surgery he just can’t get the ball down. It can’t help that the Twins have a bad defense behind him but, Vance, bro, you gotta get the ball down.
Man, I couldn’t stand this dude when he was on the up and up in 2011 since he had two straight wins against my Giants (and won big at that) including his first complete game. To boot, he had a faux hawk, wore popped collar polo shirts and just looked like he was full of himself.
Yet, since he started his decline after his 2011 season, I’ve secretly wanted to watch him regain form. My Giants couldn’t touch him, so if he can even be close to that pitcher, he could help the twins out tremendously.
Many teams could advance…with Vance!
Pretty sure you mean Vance. There is no Lance currently active in the majors.
THANKS
A 1.99 WHIP over 48 innings will ensure the suitors arent exactly lining up at his door.
That said he proved in Philly he does have some upside, i could see a rebuilding club claiming him as a rebuilding project.
Worley and a prospect for De Aza
Done deal; will Buxton meet your needs?
Who is Buxton?
Brian Buxton, Top Twins Outfield prospect, largely considered the top prospect in the game.
lol yes but unlikely
I have no problem if he gets claimed. I initially hoped he would win the 5th spot in the rotation but after his ST, I have completely given up on him. He is far too hittable to waste a roster spot on and I am thrilled Gibson is getting the 5th spot to start the season. Hopefully he will have better luck with another team.
C’mon Rube, we have no SP depth at all, bring him back.
Yep, first of all get him back in the National League.
I would be willing to bet a lot his struggles are injury related-he’s either still injured or still not 100% from his surgery.
It’s pretty sad though when you can’t even get to the low ceiling of strike outs that the Twins find acceptable.
I think Worley is worth a whirl for some National league team.
He also needs less than five months of service time to reach super 2 status. 100 days on a roster would make him eligible for that, hence arbitration.
Come back to Philly Vance. I would bet that this happens and he returns to form. Some guys just struggle with change and the going back home feeling might clear his head.
Doubt it happens. One of the reasons the Phillies parted with him was because of his work ethic. Apparently he didn’t like to do some of the team workouts like running.
Wasn’t he the center piece in the Ben Revere trade? Not that Revere has been anything special for the Phils, but… ouch. Never figured he was a TOR type arm, but I figured he may slot into the back of the rotation there
No, Trevor May was the main piece of that trade for the Twins. Worley was the lesser part of the deal. But still disappointed to see him do this poorly with the Twins.
That’s right.
Either way, bad for your opening day starter 1 year ago to not even make the rotation this year..
The fact he was the opening day starter last year says more about the 2013 rotation than anything else. Maybe some day Worley can straighten himself out and regain what he showed in 2011, but it’s doubtful.
Yankees? Diamondbacks? A’s? Braves?
Yankees don’t really need him, they have a full rotation.
Go Dodgers go clam him
Cubs need a pitcher due to injuries to McDonald and Arrieta? They are always active on waivers regardless. Worth a look.
Gets through waivers then, that does surprise me, despite his 2013 campaign.
I can’t believe he made it through waivers! I figured a half-dozen teams would take a crack at him.
I can’t help but wonder if teams are shying away from him for some reason other than what we are seeing on the diamond. I wonder what he’s like behind the scenes.
I’ll tell you exactly why he got through waivers. It’s the end of spring training and there aren’t many teams that have room for him on their 40-man. Cuts at this time are tough and adding a guy who has little immediate value makes absolutely no sense.