The Royals announced yesterday that they will utilize veteran right-hander Ian Kennedy as a reliever this year, as Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star was among those to report.
Kennedy, 34, says he’s up for the switch despite having made only a pair of prior relief appearances way back in 2008-09. In the intervening nine seasons, Kennedy has taken the ball to open 277 MLB contests.
Last year was the first season since 2009 in which Kennedy failed to make thirty starts. It also represented a confirmation of his struggles from the season prior. In total, over his past 273 2/3 innings, Kennedy has mustered only a 5.06 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, and 1.8 HR/9.
Kennedy’s still throwing as hard as before and appears to be getting similar movement on his pitches, but the league has clearly figured him out. His swinging-strike rate has dwindled down to 8.2% and opposing hitters have made hard contact on about four in ten balls in play over the past two seasons.
Frankly, these developments aren’t altogether surprising for a hurler who hit the 2015-16 market as a highly durable but rarely dominant middle/back-of-the-rotation arm. Kennedy was an accomplished hurler and drew mid-3 ERA equivalency grades from xFIP and SIERA in the two seasons before he reached free agency. Still, he had long battled home run problems that led to inconsistent results despite generally excellent K/BB numbers.
Even in that very different market setting — several other pitchers secured very large deals that winter with less-than-dominant track records — Kennedy’s five-year, $70MM contract was surprising. As former MLBTR scribe Charlie Wilmoth put it, “the financial outlay of the deal looks rather generous even before considering the opt-out.” Entering the offseason, we had predicted four years and $52MM.
The Kansas City organization knew the risks, but understandably wanted maximize its chances of winning another World Series after capturing a crown in a magical 2015 season. Kennedy did manage nearly two hundred innings of 3.68 ERA ball in the first year of his deal, but the peripherals told a different story.
Now, the Royals are paying what’s left of the tab for doubling down on a historic contention window. Kennedy accounts for two hefty line items: $16.5MM salaries in 2019 and 2020.
Looking at the present roster, bumping Kennedy will somewhat ironically open the door for Homer Bailey to join the starting staff. The oft-injured hurler is still due $23MM this year along with a $5MM buyout on what was once a 2020 option. Bailey was cut loose by the Dodgers entering the final year of the big extension that he signed with the Reds and which was shipped to Los Angeles this winter. The K.C. org will owe him only the MLB minimum.
Bailey will get a shot at redemption in Kansas City. Kennedy, meanwhile, will try to carve out a second act as a reliever while remaining available as a depth option should a rotation need arise.
About time!
Lol why they signed him to that contract is still a head scratcher
While you were reading this Ian Kennedy gave up another home run.
If there was ever a way to trade away some of the money owed to him then wouldn’t starting be the better way to increase any value he may have left? Or, is he done and they hope he can convert to a late inning guy? Then again, perhaps with the “opener” strategy becoming more popular the conversion to relief isn’t as cut and dry as it sounds.
As a starter he’s terrible. They’re hoping a bullpen move makes him worth at least some of the $16 mil
think back to Wade David when KC traded for him and James Shields. Wade was a horrible starter…KC moved him to the bullpen and Wade became an elite lights out reliever that the league feared. KC is hoping for the same from Kennedy in this move.
Yes; Kennedy has the stuff to be good in short bursts. Almost all great relievers are failed starters – check out Mariano’s career as a starter sometime. Or Miller or Hand.
I think asking him to be Wade Davis or Mariano Rivera at age 33 is too much, those guys were much younger when they made the transition. I think a realistic hope is he becomes a low-mid 3 era, 2 inning type reliever.
Nobody is asking him to be either, he’s unreadable as is so we might as well try to make him serviceable.
Nowhere near Kennedy’s age but new Mets closer Edwin Diaz was also drafted and used as a SP by Jack Zurednick’s Mariners. Dipoto was hired as the new GM he converted Diaz to a RP in AA and 6 weeks later Eddie made his big league debut.
You’re assuming keeping him as a starter wouldn’t further decrease his trade value.
I found it weird he got such a high contract since his last year in SD he gave up 31 HR and the trend only continued.
Well once he got to San Diego he turned it around after struggling for a few years. In 2016 with the royals he put up a good showing.
Do you remember the time where Kennedy, Hughes and joba were touted as the next “generation K” ? Pepperage farm remembers v_v
LOL, I was just thinking about that.
Yep, hence the acronym TINSTAAPP
Wow both Ian Kennedy and Homer Bailey, sorry Royals fans.
And players and agents will complain to anyone who’ll listen about owners not blindly throwing around money now.
Bailey at the minimum so there’s really no risk. Kennedy on the other hand…
I want what Drayton Moore was smoking on the day he signed Kennedy to that deal?
I’m pretty sure Chris Davis signed his deal on that day as well. GM’s were must’ve been on a pretty good high that day.
And people wonder why teams are so hesitant to give out these deals just look at Davis and Kennedy
I still have an Ian Kennedy DBacks Jersey from back when he won over 21 games in 2011