The Rockies announced yesterday that they’ve moved right-hander Tyler Chatwood to the bullpen, clearing way for rookie Antonio Senzatela to rejoin the starting rotation, as Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. That’s a disappointing development for the 27-year-old Chatwood, who is slated to become a free agent for the first time following the 2017 season. The results for Chatwood haven’t been there in 2017, though, as he’s averaged 7.2 K/9, 5.0 BB/9 and 1.36 HR/9 en route to a 5.11 ERA through 112 2/3 innings. Chatwood does have a rather gaudy 57.4 percent ground-ball rate, though, and he’s pitched well away from Coors Field in each of the past two seasons. Both elements could help him look a bit more favorable on this winter’s open market, as will the fact that he’s rather young for a free-agent starter. Chatwood, as Saunders notes, voiced that his clear preference is to pitch as a starter, though he also stated that he’ll pitch in whatever role the Rox feel is best as the team looks to land an NL Wild Card spot.
More from the Senior Circuit…
- Cardinals lefty Kevin Siegrist landed on the 10-day disabled list due to forearm tendinitis, as Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. Siegrist has been battling injuries “for a while,” per manager Mike Matheny, and his latest placement on the DL will give fellow lefty Tyler Lyons even more looks in higher-leverage spots. “We’ll be able to use him in big situations — lefty, righty, regardless,” said Matheny of Lyons. “…His stuff’s always been there. You could see him being effective in any role because the slider and curveball are that good. His changeup is really improved.” The 29-year-old Lyons is enjoying a career year with an 11.1 K/9 rate against 2.9 BB/9 and a 3.18 ERA through 34 innings in a short-relief role.
- The Marlins conducted a bit of a defensive experiment yesterday by starting catcher J.T. Realmuto at first, but Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that said arrangement isn’t likely to have a long-term impact on how much Realmuto catches. Miami still plans to start Realmuto behind the dish as often as possible, but the look at first base was meant to see how he’d fare there on a day he’d otherwise have received off entirely. Realmuto impressed, defensively, per manager Don Mattingly, and it stands to reason that if the Fish are comfortable with him there, it could be a means of getting Realmuto into a few more games next season. “He’s not going to be a guy over there three days a week, or anything like that,” said Mattingly. “He’s pretty much our catcher. But I think it is a way to get him off his legs. A day game like today.”
- Brewers general manager David Stearns spoke at length with Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about his team’s decision not to part with significant long-term pieces for big-name upgrades prior to the non-waiver deadline. As Stearns explains, there was simply a group of players — both on the Major League roster and in the minors — that the Brewers weren’t willing to discuss in trades, barring the emergence of an unexpected trade candidate on the market. Stearns rejected the narrative that the Cubs’ acquisition of Jose Quintana galvanized the clubhouse and sparked a winning streak. “I think the Cubs’ recent run has more to do with the overall quality of their roster than one individual player,” said the GM. Haudricourt’s column is rife with lengthy quotes from Stearns on his thoughts leading up to the deadline and into August trading season, so readers should definitely check it out in its entirety.
Tyler Charlie’s numbers are skewed because of pitching at Coors field. Hope they Angels sign him this off-season.
Teams with a neutral or pitcher-friendly ballpark should be lining up to sign Chatwood. He could be a great bargain if he pitched half his games in a good ballpark. He’s probably a #3-4, or #2 at best, even in a pitcher’s park, but I bet he commands less of a contract than guys like Jeremy Hellickson and Jason Vargas, and I’d much rather have Chatwood.
Couldn’t agree more – the Rockies should’ve traded him at the deadline if they were planning on moving him to the pen, if I were another team I would’ve given up multiple top 20 organizational prospects for him
Chatwood wouldn’t fool you for a #2 in Petco. Best case scenario he keeps the ball on the ground and keeps that ERA around 4 and gives you solid innings filling out the back of your rotation. He’s a grounball pitcher so I don’t know if it has to be a pitchers park he goes to, just not colorado
His 3.38 career ERA, including 1.69 last season is what makes me think he has the upside to be a #2. As I said though, much more likely to be a #3-4
That would be a 3.38 career ROAD ERA and 1.69 road ERA last season.
Chatwood had an ERA under 4 just last season. He could be a solid pick up for a team like the Angels. Found ball pitcher with a solid defensive infield. And a pitchers park. And him being from Southern California, it could be a solid under the radar pick up. That is all I was saying.
It’s an option for the angels. You guys definitely need a more front end guy but it could work. Bridwell, Meyer, Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, and Jc Ramirez. you guys have a lot of back end options but Richards is a nice starter if he can stay healthy. I like Skaggs a lot too.
Skaggs spends more time on the DL, than LaFlop James spends time throwing his teammates under the bus. And LaFlop James is always throwing his teammates under the bus.
Move your best outcher to the bullpen brilliant move COL. Maybe they should move arrendo to the bench for pinch hitting opportunity.
Though I am a fan of Chatwood and think he’d be a great pitcher outside of Coors (see above), he was definitely not their best pitcher this season. Here are the ERAs and FIPs of Rockies pitchers with 10+ starts
Jon Gray: 4.94/3.65
Kyle Freeland: 3.70/4.76
Antonio Senzatella: 4.78/4.85
Germán Márquez: 4.11/3.73
Jeff Hoffman: 5.03/4.01
Tyler Anderson (60-day DL): 6.11/5.42
Chatwood: 5.11/5.24
By ERA, Freeland and Márquez have been the best, with Chatwood 2nd worst to Anderson. By FIP, Gray and Márquez have been the best, with Chatwood again second worst to Anderson. I was honestly really surprised to see how quietly good Márquez has been.
I didn’t realize Chatwood was a FA after this season – never hear his name mentioned in discussions about this winter’s SP crop. Teams like MIA, SD, LAD, etc who play in pitchers’ parks should give him strong consideration.
The dodgers do not need to consider a pitcher like chatwood
K.Siegrist has not pitched well for 2 yrs,Oh has deteriorated and Rosenthal has rejuvenated himself.
Chatwood will be pitching in Baltimore next year. Has duquette written all over him
Actually, I was thinking that Chatwood’s future is probably with the Pirates…
I could easily see the two lining up for a deal during the off-season.
If I had to take my best guess at Chatwood’s most likely landing spots, I would probably say:
Pirates
Mariners
Marlins
Padres/Orioles/Rangers
With the Pirates being the most likely candidate to sign Chatwood, and then they should be followed closely by the Mariners and the Marlins…Then, I’m sure some teams like the Padres, Orioles, and Rangers will all be going after Chatwood’s services..
Like I said though, ultimately, I think he chooses the Pirates over the Mariners and the Marlins…
For what it is worth, I highly doubt, the Braves will show any interest in Chatwood whatsoever…
Well, the pirates could certainly be a landing spot. Baltimore has 3 slots to fill next year so we will pretty much be in the discussion for any mid to low tier SP on the market. I think we’ll resign hellickson if he pitches reasonably well the rest of this year but any bounce back candidate will hear from DD. Padres are probably in a similar boat and are a more favorable landing spot for a pitcher trying to recoup value. That rotation is about as full as the orioles for next yr
I’m hoping that Duquette has tired of acquiring pitchers who can’t throw strikes. That is the most glaringly awful of Chatwood’s statistics for me, and you can’t convince me that Coors Field causes someone to walk people. After suffering through Miley, Jimenez, and Gallardo refusing to just throw strikes, and Gausman losing the strike zone for two months before seemingly righting the ship this past month, I don’t ever want to go out and acquire someone with a BB/9IP on the wrong side of 3.0.
Guys with better walk rates than that don’t sign for a reasonable amount of money or you get Jeremy hellickson. With the amount we are willing to spend it’s just going to be difficult to find guys to plug in there without a default. I agree though it’d be nice to be able to find a guy w a lower walk rate but we have 2-3 spots open depending on what we do with hellickson. There’s no way we snag 3 guys on multi year deals. Most likely we sign one guy to a multi year and then 2 prove it contracts. Only a handful of guys are going to want that kind of a deal especially w our notoriously tough physical. Rumors are that Castro might get a look in. The rotation but I don’t have very high hopes for an average middle reliever becoming a capable starter.
For a not so good pitcher chatwood has had a decent career. Almost joe blantonesque. Goodnight sweet prince.
I get David Stearns not trading particular players, but I think he is wrong about the Jose Quintana to the Cubs deal. Besides the players performance towards a new team, it is quite a morale booster when the front office adds at the deadline. Don’t think players care or notice? Just ask Dallas Keuchel how he felt even though he is on the AL’s best team.
Adding a major piece at the deadline can most definitely rejuvenate a team, but I think Stearns has somewhat of a point, in this particular case, in regards to the Cubs turnaround/hot streak.
Now, I’m not saying adding Quintana didn’t help, because it certainly has, and his acquisition will unquestionably continue to help their playoff run. However, I believe the Cubs were already showing some positive signs of getting back on track even before they traded for Quintana…
So, all in all, I think part of their resurgence has been due to their own turnaround, powered by some of their own pitchers and W. Contreras…Then, you add in a quality starting pitcher, like Quintana, and that has infused in them even more confidence, and his addition will certainly help the Cubs sustain this hot run they are on…
lol who cares what Keuchel thinks and feels. he speaks for himself and not every player on that team. adding anybody at the deadline that can increase the overall production of the team boosts morale but you’re also talking about the defending WS champs who have almost the exact same team as last year. pretending they’d stay down the entire year if a quality arm wasn’t added is elementary level thinking. and Quintana’s been hit hard in 3 of his 4 starts with the cubs
So happy the brewers didn’t part with brinson or Corbin or Phillips or etc….the big name on a price happy controllable contract wasn’t there to justify the means. Gray was close to matching that….but not for Brinson.
Realmuto was drafted by the Marlins as a “Slick-Fielding Shortstop”.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that he can play 1B. I think he will be there about Once a Week…….keeps his bat in the game, he’ll still get 1 day off, and the Marlins won’t miss a beat defensively with him there. They talked about this in Spring Training, but they never did anything until this.