Left-hander Dallas Keuchel reportedly sought a six- to seven-year contract worth upward of $25MM per annum at the outset of the winter, which may explain why he’s still available a week into the regular season. Now, though, it appears Keuchel’s asking price has dropped significantly, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears (video link). An executive’s “under the impression” the 2015 AL Cy Young winner wants a one-year deal worth more than the $17.9MM qualifying offer he turned down from the Astros or a long-term contract at a lower salary, per Rosenthal. Nevertheless, there aren’t any signs that the 31-year-old is close to finding a team, and as Rosenthal points out, the longer Keuchel sits out, the more money he’ll give up on a prorated pact. Although Keuchel has been throwing 95-pitch sim games every five days as he waits for a contract, he still may not be ready to immediately step into a team’s rotation upon signing.
- Southpaw Andrew Miller looks more like the second coming of Greg Holland than the savior the Cardinals’ bullpen was hoping for this season, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch observes. Signed to a two-year, $25MM contract over the winter, Miller has given up six runs (four earned) on five hits (three homers) and four walks, with just two strikeouts, in his first 3 1/3 innings as a Cardinal, thereby mimicking the awful performance Holland registered last season after inking a one-year, $14MM deal. While it’s clear Miller has looked nothing like the dominant force he was with the Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees and Indians from 2012-17, it’s obviously far too soon to write him off as a bust. Fortunately, both Miller and Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak insist the 33-year-old is healthy after knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries plagued him in Cleveland last season.
- Right-hander Nate Karns began the season in the Orioles’ rotation, but he’s now shifting to their bullpen on a full-time basis in favor of lefty John Means, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. Means may not be long for the starting five, however, considering the just-signed Dan Straily figures to head to the rotation in short order. A starter in 56 of 66 career appearances, Karns made his first relief appearance of the season Saturday against the Yankees, who collected three hits off him in just a third of an inning. The 31-year-old Karns made two starts before that, though he functioned as an opener in both outings and didn’t go past the two-inning mark in either. After recovering from 2017 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, the journeyman joined the Orioles in free agency this past winter on an $800K contract.
- It appears reliever Drew Storen is still far away from potentially joining the Royals’ bullpen, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweets. Storen, who’s on his way back from 2017 Tommy John surgery, is currently building up arm strength in extended spring training. The 31-year-old signed a minors deal with the Royals in February, meaning he was never guaranteed to crack their bullpen. However, if the horrendous performance Kansas City’s relief corps has turned in thus far is any indication, Storen could get a chance in if he returns to health.
At this point I have more concerns with the Cards pitching staff than the players
Don’t players make up their pitching staff?
Apologies, I meant pitching coach staff
You mean Maddux, the guy who has consistently had bullpen woes? Yea me too.
Am wondering what it is though.
Semantics!
DK really screwed up. Teams probably don’t want to surrender a draft pick and 20M for 20-25 of his starts.
At the start of spring training, he and Kimbrel should have taken the best deal available and just played.
Brewers would need to surrender their 5th round pick to sign either DK or CK. Would say they are favorites for either fa as a result.
Actually it would be their 4th round pick.
A reliever can be totally healthy and still not be able to get hitters out. Miller has had 1 outing (two-thirds of an inning) this season, thus far, that hasn’t looked like a total disaster.
Relievers are the most volatile portion of a team’s roster and the Cards are seeing that first hand from several who were counted on to propel this team. Of course, it isn’t helping matters that the rotation isn’t giving many quality outings either.
Miller also pitched 1/3 of a clean inning yesterday (Sunday).
The Cardinals should just stay away from free agent relievers. They’ve got burned on every big money one they’ve signed recently.
yes.. yes they have.
Their front office has been really hit or miss lately. Relief pitching is so volatile that even though I like Andrew Miller I didn’t think this could potentially blow up, it’s still early though, but he looks rough.
But they signed;
Holland-sucked
Gregorson-sucked and hurt
Cecil-God awful
Add it all up it’s 56 million for hot garbage.
All relief pitchers have a short shelf life these days it seems like. Even Chapman is making people nervous. Josh Hader is probably gonna flame out in 4 years. Jordan Hicks maybe too. It’s just a weird area that’s hard to predict.
I agree that’s why I think it was smart in the Mariners part to sell high on Diaz when his value was at its peak. You can never project when a relievers decline will start so why not get as much for him as you can
There are many many relievers who have had long successful careers i don’t understand why people think that
The ones who last are ones who can pitch really well even when their breaking stuff and velocity aren’t as effective.
DIaz is 25. The Mets got a great player there. He may not be an elite reliever til he’s 35 but thats not really their concern.
Keuchel over valued himself. Now teams have to think about the long layoff. Even if he is pitching “ simulated games”. I would think at this age and lay-off his career could be over. They never seem to be the same. Big gamble unless you are the Cardinals then he is right up there to pay a lot for 2 years of nothing.
Way to go Dallas declining stats and turningdown a qualifier from a World Series Contender only to ask for more money and not get a job !! What a good plan you should fire your agent and take a long look in the mirror you where never getting a 100 million in guaranteed money as a contact pitcher that benefited from Altuve Correa and Bregman defense
Keuchel at 3/50 is a must for any contender.
Ya no
He turns SD or Oakland into WS contenders either this year (A’s) or next (SD).
How does a guy with a FIP of 3.77 turn any team into a World Series contender.
Oakland could probably use him, but would never pay close to that much money and are much too smart to give up a high draft pick.
SD could slot him into their 5th spot in the rotation… but why would they? They have a young and up-and-coming team. Why would they get an older guy who doesn’t miss bats at 15 million a year.
Oakland’s not even close to the World Series. They have major pitching issues in their rotation and their lineup isn’t even that good. They have one of the worst catching duos in baseball.
A’s should sign keuchel for 1 yr $18MM they need a starter and he obviously gonna be pitching for another contract. Match made in heaven.
History suggests if you’re still unsigned once the season starts, you won’t be able to contribute until the following season at the earliest. I wouldn’t even consider Keuchel at this point.
Both Keuchel and Kinbrel should have taken the QO and come out again next year without. Now they’ll get lucky for $10m.
20/2o hindsight
no that’s called greed
Greed to maximize your earnings during your relatively short career? For many guys they get one chance to make meaningful money in free agency. We don’t know what offers besides the QO have been turned down and nobody predicted it would go like this for them. I think it would have been surprising had they signed those offers
They got their one chance and blew it. It’s called being greedy – asking for way more than their value on the field supports
How’s that maximizing going? I’m all for maximizing, but earning $0 seems like a minimum to me.
We know what similar guys got dont we?
But these 2 bozos egos got in the way.
Keuchel thinks he should be paid like a Cy Young pitcher and not a declining 31 year old.
And Kimbrell thinks he should be treated like an all time great closer instead of a good reliever, who is 31 and melted down vs the yanks and stros in the playoffs.
The Sox win in spite of him, everyone knows that except kimbrell and his agent.
At this point they might as well sit out till after the draft then sign for as much as they can get.
And let the market decide this time, not their egos.
exactly. late starts are never good. teams know this. he better take the 1 year while someone still wants him. personally I would not want a guy who does that crap
Why is this site reluctant to post comments that question Borass?
Keuchel is done. He is not of any value to any contender. He is maybe a # 5 for an also-ran team or a cellar dweller–the kinds of teams who should not be spending Borass bucks on an aging, declining pitcher like Dallas Keuchel. How’s $17.1 MM sound now, Dallas? Astros knew you would decline and are now only hoping that some foolish GM will sign you prior to June 1.
Dallas needs to start a GoFundMe page.
Keuchel needs to just accept his loss. You screwed up. Sign a one year deal and get back on the field and try things again next offseason.
My guess is that Keuchel (upon Borass’s [bad] advice) will end up swelling up with foolish pride and sitting out the year. Which, unfortunately, will hasten the end of Dallas’ MLB career. Sorry Dallas…bad advice from Borass and/or your silly pride cost you a 5-year, $90 MM–what does Scotty call them–“snuffer contracts”–after your 2015 season. And a 1-year, $17.1 MM QO deal for this year. I hear the Sugar Land Skeeters are paying pretty near $2K per month. Good luck and be sure to thank Borass for keeping his greedy fingers on the pulse of the MLB market!
Man, the Cardinals can’t catch a break with their recent bullpen Major League free agent signings (not counting minor league deals like Norris). First, the second year of Oh’s contract went very poorly, then Cecil has been mostly either hurt and/or ineffective, Gregerson can’t stay healthy, Holland was a complete bust, and now Miller is having early issues. Although, it’s still early in Miller’s case, and he did manage to retire the one batter he faced in yesterday’s game.
Whats the problem with the Astros resigning him?
Has anyone added up the multimillion’s of dollars John Mozeliak has waisted on multi year, high cost players that have been a bust over the past 6-7 years??? Lordy! It seems like he’s waisted enough of the Cardinals money to have acquired either Machado or Harper….even swap.
I really don’t see Martinez or Reyes playing to the expectations everyone put on the 2 young pitchers. Since Martinez first injury, he has never pitched as he once did out of the bullpen. Plus, he never will again because it’s obvious he is throwing the ball guarding against getting hurt. Once an athlete starts playing scared of injury, they never change. Looks like Reyes is falling into that same categorical scenario.