The Rays are among the teams considering a run at Tyler Clippard late in the offseason, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). As Topkin notes, Clippard was raised in Florida — he attended high school roughly 40 miles from Tropicana Field — and would also benefit from Florida’s lack of an income tax.
The lack of a market for Clippard has been surprising to many, although the right-hander certainly isn’t without red flags. His velocity has dropped each season since 2013, and he posted his lowest full-season strikeout rate in 2015 while also recording the third-worst full-season walk rate of his career. Clippard was also the game’s most extreme fly-ball pitcher last season; his 60.6 percent fly-ball rate was the highest among any pitcher that threw at least 20 innings, and it wasn’t particularly close. Teams may also be concerned about the huge workload on Clippard’s right arm; no reliever is within even 50 innings of the 464 1/3 innings that Clippard has tallied since the 2010 season.
Of course, that durability can also be perceived as a positive. Clippard has never been on the disabled list, and he’s made at least 72 appearances with at least 70 innings pitched in each of the past six seasons. Given the volatile nature of relief pitcher’s, Clippard’s consistent ability to take the mound — and pitch effectively, no less — is nothing short of remarkable. Dating back to that previously mentioned 2010 season, Clippard has a 2.67 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9. He’s always been a fly-ball pitcher — though rarely to the extreme that he displayed in 2015 — but has managed to average less than a home run per nine innings (0.9 HR/9) in that stretch as well.
The question with which teams are faced, then, is whether or not the decline in Clippard’s K/BB numbers and velocity are due to that heavy workload or are elements of his game that can be corrected. Given the fact that he’s the last big-name relief arm left on the market, it would seem that there is indeed some level of trepidation surrounding him, but that could create the opportunity for a team to get something of a bargain rate on a player that has typically yielded high-quality results.
The Rays, in particular, could make sense as a landing spot for a reputable setup man, as the team has traded both Kevin Jepsen (to the Twins) and Jake McGee (to the Rockies) in the past six months or so, creating a potential late-inning opening. Clippard would theoretically join names like Danny Farquhar and Alex Colome as right-handed setup pieces serving as a bridge to closer Brad Boxberger.
I like this for the Rays. Colome, Clippard, Boxberger look like a formidable 7, 8, 9, although not quite as strong as the Yankees back 3.
but the rays have a better rotation
C.J. Reifenhauser was just DFA’d by O.s, I think I would rather have the extra LHP in the Bullpen, plus he has started and closed at the Minor League level and could be used as a long relief guy. Problem is that O’s will probably want a Minor Leaguer for him, whereas Clippard is a Free Agent but still might be too expensive for Rays since he made 8.3 Mil. last year and we just traded arguably our best reliever in McGee who was goin to be paid 4.8 Mil. and Rays thought that was too much. I doubt you could get Clippard that cheap even.
If the Rays want another lefty, how about Matt Thornton?
rays didnt trade mcgee because of his salary we traded him because we are loaded with pitchers and needed a bat
Definitely not a salary dumb when they brought in Pearce for about the same amount.
I’ll argue that – McGee’s value was high right now. If he pitched well in 2016 his last year of arb would have placed him in the too tough to sign category for the Rays. He probably would have gotten 7-8M next year.
Smart trade actually and if Hickey can teach Romero to throw strikes nobody will know Jake is gone.
Rays got Johnny venters last year, signed him to a two year deal to Monitor his Recovery process so I doubt they did that for nothing. Watch for him in spring training. If he can look anything close at all to what he used to be he will make the team
Rays signed Johnny venters last year I doubt it was for nothing. Just watch if he can look anything at all like what he used to be in spring training he will make the team. That type of upside in a left handed arm is something the Rays always look for in players. Rebuilding someone’s value is key for small market teams.
Interesting on Clippard. The loss of velo doesn’t setup well since his next best pitch is a changeup. Looks like he occasionally threw a splitter and cutter – probably anomalies capturing the pitch.
Looks like he needs a cutter now if he has lost his fastball velocity.