3:32pm: A “physical issue” led the Rangers to abandon the Oh signing, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. The Rangers became concerned after looking at the MRI results on Oh’s arm, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes.
Feb. 17, 1:41pm: The Rangers have moved on from Oh, Wilson was among those to report (on Twitter).
Feb. 15: Rangers GM Jon Daniels told reporters today that there’s nothing imminent with Oh (Twitter link via Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that it’s not clear yet if there was some sort of hangup with the contract.
It’s worth noting that the Giants reportedly made an offer to Oh as well before his reported agreement with Texas, so if talks between Oh and the Rangers have broken down, it’s possible that San Francisco could jump back into the mix.
Feb. 6: The Rangers have struck a deal with free agent reliever Seung-hwan Oh, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). If Oh passes his physical, he’ll stand to receive a $2.75MM guarantee, per Devan Fink of Beyond the Box Score (via Twitter). The deal also includes a $4.5MM option ($250K buyout) and $1MM in available incentives for the Rosenhaus Sports Representation client.
This makes for an interesting match given the open questions at the back of the Texas pen. Oh, a veteran Korean hurler, took over the closer’s role for the Cardinals during his debut MLB season of 2016. He opened the ensuing campaign with the same job after spinning 79 2/3 frames of 1.92 ERA ball, with 11.6 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9, but was not able to repeat his dominance.
In 2017, Oh wound up posting a 4.10 ERA in 59 1/3 innings. The fall-off was not only evident in the results; Oh’s peripherals suffered across the board. In particular, his swinging strike rate dropped from an outstanding 18.0% to a still-strong 12.9%, taking his strikeout rate down to 8.2 K/9. His home run rate nearly tripled to 1.52 per nine; his groundball rate plummeted to 28.7%; and he surrendered a batting average on balls in play (.319) nearly fifty points north of his 2016 level.
That said, there are some reasons to believe that Oh may have suffered some poor fortune. That BABIP jump came even as he induced more soft contact (15.3% in 2016 vs. 22.4% in 2017) at the expense of hard contact (34.2% vs. 28.1%). Statcast figures reflect that evident discord, with Oh’s .298 xwOBA coming in well shy of the .338 wOBA he actually surrendered. Interestingly, while hitters obviously had less trouble making contact, Oh got batters to chase outside the zone just as often in each of his two MLB seasons and his Brooks Baseball charts mostly show consistent movement on his pitches.
It’s tough to say what to expect. Regardless, given Oh’s background, it’s certainly fair to wonder whether the 35-year-old is slated to close for the Rangers. The team still employs several pitchers who have featured prominently in the late-inning mix in recent seasons, including righties Matt Bush and Keone Kela as well as lefties Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman. But Oh has fairly earned his memorable nickname, Final Boss, by closing down 396 total contests over his 13 seasons of action in the KBO, NPB, and MLB. He’ll likely at least have a shot at earning the closer’s nod in camp.
For the Rangers, this is the latest of many additions to the team’s pitching staff. As MLBTR’s 2017-18 Free Agent Tracker shows, the organization has steadily picked up arms throughout the winter. In addition to a variety of free agents, the club dealt for lefty Matt Moore. The Rangers’ updated depth chart lists six hurlers acquired this winter who currently project to make the Opening Day roster, with others (especially Bartolo Colon) potentially challenging for jobs in camp.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
ああ、彼は非常に良いピッチ。彼は来シーズンに非常に良い野球選手になるでしょう。
Razılaşdı!
문제는 Oh는 일본인이 아니라 한국인이고, 나는 당신에게 동의한다. Oh는 아주 좋은 투수이다.
Oh no! No Oh.
You do realize Japanese isn’t the same thing as Korean, right?
Be careful, I hear the closer role has been cursed since Eric Gagne left in the trade for David Murphy. They have used so many different closers since then (Wilson, Francisco, Feliz, Nathan, Tolleson, Dyson and others with save opportunities received. )
Gagne was in Texas half a season, if he felt the need to put some curse on the bullpen when he left that’d be hilarious but Texas bullpen has been pretty good since then so this makes absolutely no sense
I meant closers specifically, only relievers who accumulated double-digit save totals in a season.
Oh.
Maybe that means they can get one good year out of him. Of course it also means Claudio better wrap himself in bubble wrap.
Rangers should sign Darvish so their staff could boast an Oh, Yu, Moore trio.
Oof
I wish the Cubs would’ve signed him. He was brilliant in 2016.
They still can
No thanks
Yup dont want him. Don’t need him. I’d rather they sign Greg Holland for 3 years with an opt out after 2 years.
This is a good signing for the Rangers. Oh is very good if he is used in the right circumstances, something that he suffered for at the Cardinals last season.
It is NOT a done deal!
Giants gonna get him
Oh no!
I’m reading this article in absolute disbelief. Oh is going to compete for the Rangers closers role in spring training? Wrong side of 30 coming off the worst year of his career by a landslide. If Oh is a respectable bullpen arm again that would an achievement.
Wrong side of 30 means nothing when it comes to relievers.
I used to want every guy who had success two or three years ago on the cheap thinking they’d find it again and we’d catch lightning in a bottle but those are so few far and between. If he’s in his late 20s early 30s maybe take a shot but at ages of decline it’s hard to believe he’s bouncing back to 2016. Another year older I’d have to project him to decline even further
Never seen more voided/moved on deals than this offseason.
Oh No, No Oh!
Wonder why this fell through. Seemed like a really good upside move at only 2.5 mil. I’d like the Mets to get in on him. At that price, he fits their budget lol
When the Rangers’ GM was on the phone with Oh’s agent, he spilled hot coffee on his lap, and yelled Oh no, and Oh’s agent misinterpreted this.
Perhaps there’s something in his physical they didn’t like and either wanted to amend the deal or just decided to move on.
This… not this…. maybe this?!?
Angels
This is a guy that should be on the Cubs radar. The Cubs bullpen is in god awful shape. It is their worst bullpen over the past 5 years. A former closer familiar with the NL Central would help a great deal. Multiple people will hold the closers role for the Cubs prior to the trading deadline. They don’t have a guy who can do it and trying to squeeze effective bursts out of guys might be an effective stop gap. My guess is Felipe Rivera comes over to the South side at the deadline for Albertos and Little.
This is still just as funny as when you started it a camouflage weeks ago
The Cubs are north side of Chicago, not south side. And who is Rivera?
Rivero.
Ironically, Your team abused “wife beater” to the point where his arm was going to fall off so let’s not go full keyboard hero against the trolls,
They traded for him, sold their souls to use and abuse him in the playoffs, to end 108 year drought.
Chapman didn’t “beat” anyone, he fired a gun in his garage.
Traded their souls. Lol
They traded one good prospect who has yet to play Mlb, was hurt last year, and more important blocked for 7 years. Please.
Don’t blame the Cubs for wife beater’s issues last year. What will be the excuses this year?
Like I said typical NYers a lot of talk and BS. Get over your ego,s
For sure the Cubs don’t need an injured has been closer. The bull pen ranked what? In 2015. They were #7 last year 2 under the Yanks. And 1 in 2016. So please don’t defend trolls you look even more stupid. But I can understand all the envy with haters n trolls. Lol
Still domestic violence you moron.
YOU’RE an idiot yourself. You don’t know names either (it’s Chapman), nor how to spell or WHERE to put commas.
Whatever get over yourself NY trashman. Take your ego with you. Doesn’t matter what the domestic idiots name is.
Rivero, he means. The Pirates’ closer.
Worry about the Yanks and not the Cubs. Your not aCub fan so why do you care? All you do all day is comment on who the Cubs should and shouldn’t get.
Are you hater, troll or just passing time away. The Yanks should get a 3rd baseman and a pitcher too. But your NY ego can’t come to terms with it get over it and yourself. Your a typical NYer all talk and a big ego which amounts to nothing. Don’t worry about who the Cubs will get. Not your concern.
Worry about your own team and stop being a troll on every Cubs post and signing.
Yeah it’s been awful the past 5 years. Lol
Funny it ranked in the top 5 in 2015, top 3 in 2016 and top 8 in 2017. Go take your high ego NYer@$7 and get a life.
I do admit he’s a Cubs troll, though. It makes it x2 worse that he’s a Yankee fan.
I don’t blame you for getting mad.
Cubs are a good team, set up well for the long run. One of the few teams. I’m a NYY fan myself, and I personally don’t think he’s a Yankee fan, but rather a 2-for-1 troll who tries to make 2 team’s fanbases look bad Lol
I appolize to you. I don’t dislike Yankees. I respect their organization but I don’t respect Yankee addition he’s a troll hater who needs to get over the Cubs win or lose and move on and get a life.
The guy thinks he knows everything about mlb and doesn’t have a clue.
This
I am not a Cubs troll. I simply enjoy pointing out where they come up short.
So you’re an idiot then. You say the cubs bullpen is in god awful shape when they have Edwards, Morrow, Cishek, Strop, Duensing, Montgomery, and Wilson. So don’t say you’re not a troll
This.
Yes you are It is none of your business. Your not a Cubs fan. Not from Chicago. You have a NY name talk about your own team if that’s your team and move on. No one cares about you playing ARM chair GM. You don’t know nothing about mlb n players. You only think you Fi with your NYer ego. If you weren’t a troll n hater you post about ever Cubs signing , trades and who you so call think they should get. When you have a GM job or Presidident of a team then you can talk, till then worry about you n whatever band wagon team
you rout for. You say the Cubs pen is awful the
Last 5 years when they ranked #3 in 15,#1 in 16 and #7 in 17. Yeah your a hater troll. If that’s awfull I hate to see the other teams.
What is none of my business? I agree I am not a Cubs fan and I do not reside in Chicago.
So don’t worry about the Cubs and stop trolling ever signing or trade. Or who should have. Grow up and get a life. Your in ever Cubs post. Are you like 16 years old with no life. If your a Yank fan I feel sorry for their fan base they have such an idiot who worries more about the Cubs then their own team. Shows your envy the Cubs and are just a mad troll. Go away when we want your opinion will give it to you.
Michaelw, my dear friend. I guarantee you that come October the Cubs will not be in the WS.
Maybe not. Neither will 28 other teams. One thing for sure the Cubs have done fine the past 3 years. When is the last time a team made it back to back to back in a Championship series. I’d like to know that. Your troll post make you not only look stupid but make you look like a kid with nothing to do. Maybe your jelouse and just some bandwagon fan. The Cubs are fine. Even if they don’t make the WS they will be in contention for a long time. They have had the best over all record combined for the last 3 years. 1 WS title, 3 straight playoff appearances, were ranked 3 in pitching in 2015, #1 in 2016 and #7 in 2017. Not bad for a team with no pen. Maybe worry about your team if you have one. Like I said it none of your business why should you care. Why because your a child troll with no life who seeks attention. Everything you post is a joke and makes you look like a dumb @$$. Not that you care. But neither does anyone else. But your too stupid to even know that. Grow up and get a life. There are more important things to worry about in today’s world than something you have no control over or even should worry about. Go make some some friends and get a real hobby. I have no problem with real fans and people who want to talk real baseball. I have problems with troll idiot kids like you who are all full of pi$$ n viniger and think they know everything.
Exactly what I was thinking, he would be a great fit for the Cubs.
I must say you are truly one of the most intelligent posters on this board.
You two should put you’re heads together and make an @$$ of yourselves. Lol
How does it not make sense for the Cubs to pick this guy up?!? Give me 3 good reasons! He is an impact player with some of the nastiest pitches around at a bargain price. The Cubs would be more likely to make a World Series run with this guy on their team rather than not.
Oh well.
Awesome. Now we’re getting updates on who WON’T sign who. smh
So you didn’t want to be updated; and wanted to continue believing that he was apart of this organization? Awesome. Smh.
^this
I didn’t believe he was a part of this organization. I believe that even if he was it’s inconsequential. No one knows him better than the Cards, and without a legit closer on their own roster, they STILL have no interest in him. So, no, I don’t think that a fringe middle reliever that is NOT signing is newsworthy.
so just leave the original report from Feb 6th that they were in agreement and call it good without providing an update to the story?
It was less a testament to a blah story about a middle reliever rather more about the continuing glacial pace at which this market is moving. No offense to Oh, his family and the potential 10’s of others that may care about this “news”.
Come back to me Eugene
Oh man
Uh-oh
Oh my.
Stupid move! They should have used the MRI as leverage to sign him cheap. When he’s healed up next year and ready to perform as an ace (which he is capable of) they will regret not signing him. This guy is lights out and has some nasty pitches when he’s healthy. Get him while he’s affordable, hopefully the Cubs will pick him up.
This is a guy the Cubs need. At this point they have a piece meal bullpen without a closer. They have Wilson and a guy who is not a closer in Morrow. The Cubs need to improve that bullpen if they hope to contend in 2018.
Shut the f$&k up you idiot troll. Where tired of hearing your stupid troll post. Grow up and get a life or go back to playing your video games.
Uh oh… They found out he was missing a UCL.
Another in a long line of Asian league busts.