WEDNESDAY: Washington has announced the signing. Benoit also can earn up to $1MM via incentives, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link).
MONDAY: The Nationals have agreed to a contract with free-agent reliever Joaquin Benoit, reports ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). It’s a one-year, Major League contract worth $1MM for the ACES client, per Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
Benoit, 40, split the 2017 season between the Phillies and Pirates, delivering solid results in 42 innings with Philadelphia before being torched in 8 1/3 frames with the Bucs late in the season, Overall, Benoit logged a 4.65 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 3.9 BB/9, 1.25 HR/9 and a 33.3 percent grounder rate in 50 1/3 innings of work.
That represented a down season for Benoit, of course, but it was only the second time in the past eight seasons that he’s posted an ERA north of 3.00. Benoit’s average velocity (94.8 mph) and swinging-strike rate (13.3 percent) both remained solid as he pitched for both Pennsylvania clubs last year, and he’ll look to keep those positive trends going as he seeks to rebound in terms of overall run-prevention.
Dating back to the 2010 season, Benoit has turned in a 2.64 ERA (3.37 FIP, 2.95 SIERA) with 9.8 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 0.98 HR/9 and a 38.3 percent ground-ball rate. He’s no stranger to high-leverage roles, having notched 45 saves and 168 holds across that terrific late-career renaissance, and he’ll give the Nats an experienced arm to complement a late-inning relief corps that also features veterans Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler.
It’s not clear on what level the two are related, but it’s nonetheless worth noting that young Koda Glover reported to camp with shoulder soreness and was diagnosed with inflammation following an MRI (via a report from Castillo). He’s not throwing at present, making the added depth from Benoit all the more important.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Benoit ehh signing
thankfull Big Papi is out of the league
Wham!!, there goes a homer….Wham!!! There goes another homer…. Wham !! Wham!! Wham!!!!!!!!
His HR/9 is not that bad.. He should benefit being out of CBP and Safeco the last two years.
I just remember the 2 in just 8.1 innings in Pittsburgh. Just thinking not much gas left in the tank.
A pitcher benefit from leaving Safeco? That is honestly the first time I have ever read or heard that. Safeco is one of the best pitcher parks in all of MLB. If a pitcher regresses there then you can bet their career is pretty much over.
Ehh, it’s been pretty neutral the last two years.
take that, pace-of-play rules!
Replacing Albers with Benoit? Lol
why would they want him other than for mop up duty? terrible last year
I hate the Nationals LGM
I hate him too because I’m a Mets fan and he’s one of the top GM’s in the league.
Rizzo is not a top GM in league
He has proved that by not winning a playoff series with Harper/Strasburg
I think he is. He consistently makes smart, efficient signings like this one. Finds talented players like Robles, Turner, Cole, Rendon. He’ll claim good players like Matt Reynolds and add good vets like Kendrick,
If he does anything wrong it’s probably in his choices of manager. Matt Williams, Baker, and now Martinez were all mistakes imo.
He said one of. Yes he is
Gm does not win a playoff
Wasnt aware Rizzo was GM and played im the field wierd. What a crap arguement.
So you’re mad at Rizzo for the Nationals not winning a WS with all the talent they have? All he can do is acquire the talent, he can’t really help if they’re great in the regular season and don’t luck into further playoff rounds
Rizzo is a great GM.
No different than Hoyer or Cashman. He has given Wash and the Wash managers every tool reasonable in the book to win in post season. That’s all anyone can ask of any team. They are under rules by owners, Lux caps and everyone has to fit in the puzzle.
Fans think it is a free for all. Sign this guy sign that guy. Get this get that. Not that easy esp when it not your money or your running the business. All my neighbors want Lambos but it’s not going to happen. But they can still get to work. Rizzo has gone beyond the call of duty. With Mad Max, Geo the farm Harper, Murphy. Now he has a Lux tax to deal with n Harper n Murphy n Geo FA in 2019. What do you want?
You can have the best team in baseball, best team on paper but games have to be played and it’s up to the players to preform and the managers job to make sure that happens. No Rizzos.
I’m not even a Wash fan but Rizzo is s good GM.
So if the Yanks fall in the first round of post season do you blame Cashman for getting Stranton instead of a 3rd baseman n pitching
The GM gets the team to the post-season. The manager gets them the rest of the way.
Anyone who hires Dusty Baker, with the talent they had, should not be considered a top GM.
Except he wanted Bud Black. Does everyone forget he gets overruled by ownership all the time? He had to trade for Papelbon because ownership was too cheap to sign top relief pitchers.
Pretty cheap for a guy who averages 94.7 and maxes out at 97. Elite 7.4 career H/9 and the career BB/9 is a tad on the high side but stable at 3.7. All for one million. A very smart signing.
Stable at 3.7 for a reliever? That’s terrible. Not to mention his career 1.2 HR/9 mark. The fact that in this offseason he got a guaranteed deal is baffling.
3.7 is a bit on the high side but it’s balanced out by the 7.4 H/9. The overall WHIP is 1.23 coupled with an 8.9 career K/9. All for only one million a year.
The Nationals got a reliever for only one million who throws 94-97 with a career 1.23 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, and 3.83 ERA. Those are the types of signings every GM should be looking to make.
The HR/9 spiked being at CBP last year and should come down a couple notches.
This fulfills the established old reliever spring signing tradition.
Good pickup for them …
I can’t believe this guy is still around
Very low risk, possible high upside deal. I think it will end up being a net neutral though, If he’s even barely above replacement level, it would be a win.
The only pitcher in baseball history with a seven inning save.
I think Rizzo has done a good job. I say that and alot of ppl give amaro Jr crap from his days in Philly – he had Rollins, Utley, Howard,hamels and company – added Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Pappelbon, Michael young, etc. They had the talent but injuries and a lack of solid replacement youth killed that window. Rizzo has added a combination of both and even when Harper leaves, they will still have a competitive team ( plus some additional money to spend) and still have prospects on the way. Not too many GM’s have that balance.
ESPN reporting HOU SP Forrest Whitley suspended 50 games for PEDs. Wow! Top-10 overall prospect.
update: NOT PEDs
Forrest was smokin trees