TODAY: The Orioles have officially released McFarland, as per a team announcement. The southpaw cleared release waivers and can now be signed by any club.
FEBRUARY 19: The Orioles have designated left-hander T.J. McFarland for assignment, as per a club press release. The move creates a 40-man roster spot for the newly-acquired Vidal Nuno.
McFarland, 27, posted a 6.93 ERA over 24 2/3 relief innings for the Orioles last season, despite recording a 60.2% grounder rate. Always an extreme groundball pitcher who didn’t miss many bats (a 60.7% career GBR, 5.67 career K/9), McFarland recorded just seven strikeouts in 2016, and issued more walks (10) than strikeouts.
McFarland avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $685K deal with the O’s for the coming season, and he still has two remaining years of arb-eligibility. The lefty is also out of options, and CSNBaltimore.com’s Rich Dubroff speculates that McFarland is likely to pass through waivers and potentially stay with the Orioles, if no longer on the 40-man roster. Though any number of teams are looking to add left-handed relief options, McFarland has only solid numbers (.280/.326/.395) against left-handed hitters over his career, so clubs may look for southpaws with more extreme splits.
I cannot fathom why Dan Duquette is so in love with Logan Ondracek that he would keep him over TJ Macfarland. TJ is a lefty and has had success, thoughblast year was bad. But Ondracek is a right handed dumpster fire.
It’s a head scratcher.
I can understand getting rid of TJ cause he’s been terrible for the O’s, is out of options, and most likely won’t make the opening day roster but I also agree that the need to get rid of Ondrusek.
6.93 ERA is bad.
Did you see McFarland pitch at any time in the past three years? His career splits against RHB mean that the average RH hitter he faces turns into Dustin Pedroia. And it’s not like he’s Clayton Kershaw against lefties either. I hope he spends the entire year in AAA figuring out how to get hitters out.
Well, $700K will go a long way in Norfolk.
Tj mcfarland is a decent lefty but i cant see him making a spot on roster unless they plan on keeping an extra reliever. With the stockpile of outfielders i think this move was justified. He will sign and start in triple a somewhere but will be called up asap.
No no problem with this.
I can see a team like Colorado or some other team with a hitter friendly park give him a try with his high GB%
I will admit I am bias though, being that I’ve known him since he was kid…at least I still have matthias dietz to root for..his father is my godfather.
Living in Colorado I was kind of thinking the same thing. Pretty good low risk signing and see if Bud Black can do anything for him.