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Blue Jays Designate Oliver Drake

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 4:17pm CDT

The Blue Jays have designated right-hander Oliver Drake for assignment to make room for newly acquired southpaw Clayton Richard, per a team announcement.

Drake only lasted a few weeks on the 40-man roster in Toronto, which claimed him off waivers from the Rays on Nov. 26. By now, the 31-year-old Drake is used to short-lived stints on major league rosters. Drake saw action with a record five teams (including the Blue Jays) in 2018, and has pitched for a total of seven clubs since debuting with the Orioles in 2015.

Over 137 1/3 major league innings, including 47 2/3 last season, Drake has offered signs of encouragement. While Drake does own a below-average ERA (4.59), he has notched 9.9 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9, generated ground balls at a 47.3 percent clip and recorded a 3.48 FIP/3.63 xFIP. And Drake has been dominant at the Triple-A level, where he has posted a 1.80 ERA with 12.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 across 110 innings. Perhaps yet another major league team will take a chance on him via waivers, then.

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Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Oliver Drake

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27 Comments

  1. stefano61

    7 years ago

    That’s bad…feel sad for the guy

    2
    Reply
    • Sk8rboi

      7 years ago

      Hes had a great career. Made some dough, got to travel, met new people. Not bad being from a small town.

      Reply
  2. BStereo9

    7 years ago

    Ouch

    Reply
  3. nmendoza7

    7 years ago

    “on the road again…”

    1
    Reply
    • Lefty Grove’s right hand

      7 years ago

      Story of his life

      Reply
  4. jimmertee

    7 years ago

    Don’t feel bad for him, when Drake’s number except for 20 innings in Minn has been called, he has only been medicore. He needs to get innings in the minors to sort stuff out.

    1
    Reply
    • Comrade Tipsy McStagger

      7 years ago

      Of course we can feel bad for him. It is called empathy. It is a human trait sorely missing among much of the American population today. The guy has been on like 7 teams in less than a year. No one wants to have that kind of future insecurity.

      7
      Reply
      • warren r.

        7 years ago

        jimmertee wouldn’t know empathy if it pulled him out of a flaming ditch.

        3
        Reply
      • alc47

        7 years ago

        Agreed, but at the same time he’s made 1.4 million in the majors, he’s living his dream and think of all the jerseys he has,His man cave must be awesome.

        1
        Reply
      • extreme113

        7 years ago

        There are thousands of minor league pitchers (and position players) who will never snuff the big leagues and wished they had his career.

        Reply
        • extreme113

          7 years ago

          *sniff

          Reply
        • Comrade Tipsy McStagger

          7 years ago

          Extreme — I have always had empathy for them.

          Reply
  5. octraveler

    7 years ago

    Average at best pitcher who would still have a job if he was left handed.

    Reply
  6. alc47

    7 years ago

    He would be a solid minor league signing for everybody .

    1
    Reply
    • jd396

      7 years ago

      He’s already been a solid waiver claim for everybody.

      1
      Reply
  7. mlb1225

    7 years ago

    Is this going to be the guy who gets traded/claimed by like a dozen teams this off season?

    Reply
    • angels fan 3

      7 years ago

      It happened all of last season

      Reply
    • Monkey’s Uncle

      7 years ago

      Too late, he already is that guy.

      Reply
  8. Monkey’s Uncle

    7 years ago

    “I hate the Drake!”

    Reply
  9. its_happening

    7 years ago

    Claimed him, let him hold a spot on the 40-man prior to and through the rule 5 draft only to get rid of him after Christmas. Unnecessary to have obtained him in the first place. Jays lost two potential bullpen arms to the draft when they could have protected them with spots left open. Zero forward thinking on this. Hope it was all worth it (it wasn’t).

    I actually feel bad for Drake for being strung along by the Blue Jays.

    Reply
  10. jd396

    7 years ago

    Wow, this was absolutely crazy three DFA’s ago for this guy.

    Reply
  11. martras

    7 years ago

    In 19 appearances for 20.1 IP to close out the season for the Twins, Drake put up great numbers.

    9.74 K/9, 3.10 BB/9,
    2.21 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 3.25 xFIP.

    Of course, the Twins’ front office, with their epic bullpen chose to waive Drake despite him pitching excellently.

    I feel bad for him. Really seems like Drake needs another opportunity somewhere. I expect he’ll get it.

    Reply
    • jd396

      7 years ago

      He’d just be a MiLB free agent if teams didn’t think he had value. They just play hot potato with him due to 40-man roster constraints.

      1
      Reply
    • davidcoonce74

      7 years ago

      The problem is that Drake just doesn’t excite scouts or modern bullpen construction analytics much, because he’s a right-hander who doesn’t throw hard. He’s kind of like an ’80s reliever, a sinker/slider guy who can succeed in short bursts because he’s unique but is kind of the odd man out in most bullpens because he doesn’t impress on the radar gun. This might be a new untapped market; some team would be wise to pick him up and slot him into a bullpen role in which he comes in after a flamethrower or to be a kind of ROOGY and see what happens. His type might be a new market inefiiciency. There’s a very nice interview with Drake on a podcast I listen to, and he’s a down-to-earth and humble guy about all his travels. The hardest part is that his fiance traveled with him all season so she never was able to really set up an apartment for them. lol.

      Reply
      • martras

        7 years ago

        He throws mid 90s, jeez. His average fastball velocity was 93mph last year and it sat between 91-94mph with an occasional 95.. It’s not like he’s a crafty, control only guy throwing upper 80s.

        Reply
        • davidcoonce74

          7 years ago

          91-94 is not mid-90s and in today’s bullpens he’s not a power guy.

          Reply
        • martras

          7 years ago

          Average fastball 93, touches 95. Yep. Not mid 90s at all. You didn’t know what you were talking about so you decided to double-down. It’s a good look. A common one in the forums.

          Reply

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