The Tigers and former Mets closer Bobby Parnell have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, reports Lynn Henning of the Detroit News (via Twitter). Parnell, a client of ACES, will compete for a spot in the bullpen alongside locks such as Francisco Rodriguez, Mark Lowe, Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson and presumably Blaine Hardy.
Parnell, 31, enjoyed an excellent run at the back of the Mets’ bullpen from 2010-13, registering a 2.79 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 55.4 percent ground-ball rate in 213 innings of work. Parnell ultimately landed in the closer’s role for New York, saving 22 games once he took over the job in 2013 — a season in which he recorded a career-best 2.16 ERA. However, that campaign was cut short by a herniated disk in Parnell’s neck, and the following season was wiped out entirely (aside from one lone inning) due to Tommy John surgery. Parnell returned to the Mets in 2015, but his velocity (93 mph average fastball) was down significantly from its peak of 97.2 mph in 2011, and his control was nowhere to be found. Parnell walked more batters (17) than he struck out (13) in 24 innings last year, en route to an unsightly and uncharacteristic 6.38 ERA. He landed on the disabled list with what was termed right shoulder tendinitis in mid-August and didn’t pitch again for the remainder of the season.
The Centerpiece. Robert Parnell is 100% man.
Good luck, Captain Fastball.
This guy is atrocious.
He had one bad year, a year in which he was coming back from two types of surgery.
Low risk, high reward signing. If healthy, he should at least provide incentive for Rondon to be at the top of his game. He will be a nice alternative should Rondon not step up.
Great thing about minor league deals as in Parnell’s case is you hope he finds what he was before the injuries hit but if he doesn’t, no harm no foul.
He never really took the closer role and made it his own. Always had that hard fastball but it was too fat at times, not enough movement. If he can come back and find his heat and harness where it is going, then good for the Tigers. Nice guy.