Free-agent lefty Antonio Bastardo and his representatives at The Legacy Agency are seeking a contract that is roughly equivalent to fellow left-handed reliever Tony Sipp’s three-year, $18MM contract with the Astros, officials from clubs interested in Bastardo have told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).
While that’s a sizable sum for any relief pitcher, the market for free-agent relievers has been strong this offseason, and Bastardo’s production over the past few years is similar to that of Sipp. Bastardo doesn’t have as strong of a two-year platform as Sipp carried into free agency, but he’s been a perhaps quietly excellent reliever over the past three seasons. In that time (split between the Phillies and Pirates), Bastardo has logged a 3.18 ERA with 10.5 K/9, 4.4 BB/9 and a 30.8 percent ground-ball rate. He’s also been effective against both left- and right-handed batters, holding same-handed opponents to a .167/.273/.295 batting line while surrendering just a .204/.310/.314 batting line even when his opponents hold the platoon advantage. Additionally, having just turned 30 in late September, he’s more than two full years younger than Sipp — an element that figures to work in his favor. Bastardo does have his faults, with sub-par control (career 4.3 BB/9 rate) and a previously served 50-game suspension for his ties to the Biogenesis PED clinic chief among them.
Bastardo is one of the top remaining relievers on the market, but his name hasn’t frequented the rumor mill much this winter. He’s been linked to the Twins and Tigers, although Detroit has since acquired Justin Wilson from the Yankees, potentially removing them as a candidate for Bastardo’s services. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweeted yesterday that a Twins official denied a report stating that the Twins aren’t interested in Bastardo, but Wolfson implied that the asking price could be beyond Minnesota’s comfort zone. Many other clubs, including the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mariners, D-backs and Cubs have been linked to relief help in the past day or two.
Hit him up Halos. We could use a lefty. But idk bout that price tag he’s asking for.
Exactly. I think we need to add a spark to the bullpen
Smith in the 7th Bastardo in the 8th and Street in the 9th with Salas Morin Rasmus to give them extra depth sounds good to me
I think as a player I would say what I want plus 25% and look for the team that makes the move with room to negotiate. Boras will never provide a number, he makes the team keep going until he feels it’s the max a team will do.
(if you and I were equal pitchers) I would ask for what I am worth, sign, and let you hang til right before spring training.
The article really should have mentioned that Bastardo has already served a 50-game suspension for PED usage. That certainly has be factor into the thinking of any team considering extending a multi-year contract to him.
There’s a reason that the Pirates are not looking to bring him back, besides the obvious factor that he will cost more than the Bucs want to spend: Bastardo is maddeningly inconsistent. From month to month, from appearance to appearance, sometimes from pitch to pitch, you aren’t sure what you are going to get with him. His stuff, albeit limited to mostly fastballs, looks like he should be more successful than he has been. He’s not a closer, he’s not a LOOGY… the hardest part with Bastardo might be figuring out the best way to use him. Still, if your team’s bullpen is weak, he is probably an upgrade somewhere.
As a lifelong Phillies fan I concur with your analysis which is spot on. You couldnt pay me enough to be his pitching coach.
Red Sox want another lefty in the pen if they were to pick him up their bullpen would be lights out