Free agent pitcher Wei-Yin Chen is searching for a five-year, $100MM contract, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). At that price, Kubatko adds, it’s clear that the Orioles have moved on to other offseason targets. At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that Chen would land a five-year deal worth $80MM. Apparently, the Scott Boras client is aiming higher.
Chen, 30, is coming off a nice four-year run with the Orioles which was highlighted by a particularly strong two-year platform in 2014-15. Over the past two seasons, he’s logged a 3.44 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 to go along with a 40.8 percent ground-ball rate in 377 innings of work. Chen turned down a qualifying offer from the Orioles earlier this offseason, so signing him would require a team to forfeit its first eligible draft pick. That’s a notable disadvantage for Chen compared to quality pitchers remaining on the free agent market such as Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, and Kenta Maeda. Late last month, Tim took an in-depth look at Chen and speculated on the type of deal he could land.
The Cardinals appeared to be a solid fit for a pitcher like Chen but GM John Mozeliak recently said that the team is unlikely to make a “dynamic” signing at this stage of the offseason. The Giants were known to have some level of interest in Chen, but they are almost definitely out on high-priced pitching after adding Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto this winter.
Daaaayum…
As is the norm.. Boras is out of his mind asking for ridiculous offers and looking for some sucker.. He found one in Texas for Choo, then found one in Detroit for Fielder not too long ago. It only takes one to play his mind games..
He’s supposedly looking for 200m for strikeout king Davis, I guess seeking 100m for Chen is a “bargain” compared to that. Still both are excessively high compared to 120m that Zimmerman got only a couple of weeks back for a far better pitcher.
Well, you it can’t hurt to ask.
If he keeps getting what he’s asking for… that sounds less like “out of his mind” and more like “good at his job”.
That said, I don’t see Chen getting triple digits or Davis getting $200m.
There are no suitors for him. Yankees and Dodgers not spending. Red Sox, Giants have full rotations. Angels, Tigers, Cubs most likely maxed out. Nationals?
Dodgers may be back in since Iwakuma failed his physical.
Everybody needs pitchers, and Chen is the best one left. OK, maybe not the Mets or Indians, but other than those two, everyone needs pitchers.
He’s been a consistent contributor but doubt he’d get that much
with most of the big money clubs already spent their money,
Still a better deal than Sharks with the Giants.
And yes I know no one signed him yet.
You get $100m! And YOU get $100m! And YOU get $100m! AND YOU GET $100m!
Now the Cardinals DEFINITELY wont get him lol
Chen barely gets through the 5th or 6th inning and he and his agent want 20 million a year
#GimmeABreak
Give me Iwakuma for a 20 million incentive laden deal, thank you.
Although that is only if the Dodgers and Iwakuma can’t work a deal.
Wow, I would like $100M over the next 5 years. Where do I sign up? :P
Step right up … when you’ve proven you’re one of the best starting pitchers in the world.
You just have to get on the mound and give up 4-5 runs a game last into 6 th inning and they will throw bags of money at you. Don’t even have to win games in playoffs and still they will come looking for you
Any major league pitcher can be considered “one of the best.” He wouldn’t be in the majors if he wasn’t.
How did Chen have a career 3.72 ERA allowing 4-5 runs in 6 innings all the time? And as for the postseason comment, he’s made 3 starts and 2 of them were very good. He had 1 bad start. Not exactly a lot to work with.
And 21 of his 31 starts he pitched 6 or more innings. Not sure where everyone gets this idea he barely lasts into the 6th when 68% of his starts finish after the 6th.
And on the note of “give up 4-5 runs a game last into the 6th inning” Chen had 5 games in 2015 where he allowed 4 plus runs. This guy is as consistent as they come in baseball if you bother to do a little research before making baseless comments like that.
Mikel’s right, except you gotta do it with your left hand… 3-4 runs if right handed…
Personally wouldn’t give him more than 4 years/$71 million. I like Chen. Not at 5 years. Not at more than that type of money
Lol he’s not even close to being worth that
Yes he is. He’s better than Samardzija, just for one example.
He’s better than Samardzija right now, but Shark has higher upside. That said, I agree that he is worth the money. I just don’t think any team is going to give him that money.
Jeff samardzija’s 5 years 90 mil is what Chen will land imo
What’s so bad about aiming a little high during preliminary negotiating? Nobody starts negotiating at what they end up receiving, or else they are an awful agent. He will probably get somewhere around what Shark got.
Anyone accepting a qualifying offer does.
$100M + first round draft pick. The Cardinals will never give up a first round pick.
There’s a log jam of the middle tier guys right now.
Scott Kazmir / Yovani Gallardo / Mike Leake / Doug Fister / Ian Kennedy
The better guys available.
Josh Johnson / Brandon Morrow / Mat Latos
Scary but they may be attractive to team who wants upside.
Kyle Lohse / Jeremy Guthrie / Aaron Harang / Colby Lewis / Bronson Arroyo
Inning eating veterans
The amount of serviceable options are out there.
This is probably the reason why the mid tier guys haven’t signed yet.
Bang on. Lots of options left for someone looking to add a piece to their rotation. I’d personally avoid Johnson and Morrow just because you can’t trust them to stay healthy. The rest I’d love to have if the price was right.
I’ll pass this guy can’t get out of the 6th inning
that’s way too much! 100 mil for you 200 mil for Davis! Don’t hear to many teams link to these players. S.B. Is going to ruin tickets prices in all ball parks
I’m getting really sick of this bs, baseball needs a salary cap, he does deserves 100mil as much as Davis deserves his asking amount, screw off Scott boras
They deserve whatever the market will bear. Don’t like the high ticket prices or high prices of merchandise don’t spend any money on it. It is all about how much goes to the millionaire players versus the billionaire owners by taking the revenue from the thousandaire fans.
At first, this seemed ludicrous. Then I remembered Jeff Samardzija just got a 5/90 deal. Chen is the same age and a better pitcher who had spent his career in the AL East facing tougher opponents more regularly. Then 5/100 didn’t seem so off in this market.