Rangers reliever Jake Diekman is expected to miss “at least half” of the 2017 season after undergoing surgery to “help alleviate ulcerative colitis,” according to Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). That’s certainly frightening news for the 29-year-old; MLBTR extends its best wishes to him for a full recovery.
News of the surgery is most unwelcome for both Diekman and the Rangers. It’s a significant blow to the Texas organization’s late-inning bullpen mix. While there’s solid depth overall, Diekman is clearly the team’s top relief southpaw. Alex Claudio now stands as Texas’s top setup lefty.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that can come with a variety of side effects, ranging from the unpleasant to the debilitating. Diekman has long battled the ailment, and it seems that a surgical course was finally deemed necessary. If you’re interested in learning more about the condition and Diekman’s charitable efforts involving it, click here.
Diekman had just agreed to a $2.55MM salary to avoid arbitration with the Rangers, and he’ll stand to receive all of that unless the team changes its mind before the start of the season. Odds are, Texas will take its chances on a return. The hope is, it seems, that Diekman will make it back in 2017, and he’s controllable for one more year through the arb process. Missing such a lengthy stretch will obviously dent his future arb earnings, it’s also important to point out.
Texas will no doubt miss Diekman’s presence for whatever stretch he is out. Last year, he worked 53 frames and posted a 3.40 ERA. Though he continues to struggle with command at times, Diekman is tough to square up. Relying mostly on a mid-nineties sinker, which he combines with a slider and little-used change, he typically produces plenty of groundballs and strikeouts. Diekman carries nearly a 50% grounder rate to go with 11.0 K/9 for his career.
Hauschild to the rescue
Tony Watson to the Rangers?
It’s a perfect fit between their need and Bannister being with the Pirates when Watson was automatic.
How about Bastardo instead? Take him for nothing.
How about Antonio Bastardo instead? Give him away for nothing, eat a little salary. Pirates currently have Watson, Bastardo, Rivero, and LeBlanc. 3 LH relievers is too many.
Yeah, I could see that. Managers like to trust players they know, so I’m looking at the Watson/Bannister link. Bastardo didn’t overlap with Bannister in Pittsburgh. But, he would cost less.
Too many drugs
The Pirates are trying to compete.
They were trying to compete when traded Melancon last year, they’ll be trying to compete when they trade Watson this year.
They can’t compete if they let good players walk and get nothing for them.
I’ll gladly take 5 years of Felipe Rivero over 2 months of Melancon and I’d do the same with 1 year or less of Watson.
They tried last year too, and we all saw how well that went.
The Cubs tried for the last 108 years, too and we all saw how that went.
1 for 108.
Could be a big blow but Claudio at least seemed to be really good in the Alds last year
And now that I look he was good in the regular season with a low fip too
Wishing Diekman a speedy recovery. I imagine the Rangers will find a depth project on the waiver wire.
Wishing Diekman a speedy recovery. The Padres have 2 good lefty relievers.
That’s a shame, I was almost more upset to see him go in the Hamels trade than Hamels. I mean, Hamels had to go, but Diekman had finally grown on me. Guess with the Giles trade, he’d have probably been gone at some point anyway. Oh well, I wish him the best.
Wonder if they’re interested in Brad Hand or Ryan Buchter. They already signed two guys who pitched for the Padres last year
Just curious Ranger fans, what’s Keona Kela’s project role for 2017?