5:29pm: The Phillies have interest in Smyly, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury (Twitter link).
1:10pm: Veteran left-hander Drew Smyly has opted out of his minor league contract with the Brewers, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (on Twitter). Smyly had signed a minor league pact with Milwaukee back on July 1 after being cut loose from the Rangers.
Smyly made three starts with Milwaukee’s top affiliate in San Antonio, where he allowed seven runs on 10 hits (two homers) and three walks with 18 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings of work. It’s a small but slightly more encouraging showing than he had with Texas earlier in the year. Smyly, pitching in the big leagues for the first time since 2017 Tommy John surgery, was tattooed for an 8.42 ERA in 51 1/3 innings as a Ranger. While he averaged better than a strikeout per inning there, Smyly also walked 34 batters (6.0 BB/9) and served up a staggering 19 home runs (3.33 HR/9).
Prior to undergoing surgery, Smyly displayed a knack for missing bats and strong control skills, but home runs have long been an issue for him. He’s always been an extreme fly-ball pitcher, and the league-wide uptick in home runs hasn’t done him any favors in 2019. Smyly’s average fastball velocity is back to its career norm, and he’s avoided any trips to the injured list thus far, so it seems as though he’s back to full strength following that surgery. He’ll head back to the open market in search of a new opportunity with a club that has its eyes on some affordable rotation depth; any team that signs Smyly would only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time spent in the Majors.
Mets should take a chance on him. He is better than throwing Rhame out there. at least there’s a chance for upside
Red Sox should try em out. Can’t do much worse than what they got now. And for league minimum ain’t gonna add much to salary.
^
Was thinking Baltimore could be a consideration here. Though the Fly-Ball% is a huge issue in Camden Yards.
Return back to Detroit, better than Zimmerman and Carpenter.
I was thinking the same thing.
Maybe the Giants should take a chance? Oracle seems like a good fit for his pitching style and the Giants need some starters.
Giants have Conner Menez at AAA waiting for a starter to get traded, Smyly’s probably low on their priority list.
Pittsburgh Pirates need to take a chance.
Dave Dombrowski wants you back Smyly!
Pirates should rush to sign him! I’m not sure why they don’t sign every one of these guys and if they hit in them flip for a lottery ticket prospect
You have 13 days to flip a player. It’s too late for that idea. If they want an arm for the rest of the year then sure.
Don’t agree with the flip logic
But Pirates absolutely could use someone other than Brault, especially with everyone else struggling now too.
Can’t believe Smyly has fallen so hard, but not hard to believe he could be someone’s 5.
The A’s will sign him and he will go 9-1 with a 3+ ERA. And they will go on to the wild card game.
I get both your sarcasm and your truism. Now it’s gonna happen, for sure, just cuz, right?
After the Rays first got him, he went 7-0 with a sub 1.5 era.
The (blank)s should sign Smyly. He’s got to be better than sending (blank) or especially (blank) out there.
Feel free to copy, edit and paste.
Durham Bulls, that guy (and) that other guy.
Smyly should be working out of the pen. By out of the pen, I mean just a couple innings. Twice he came out of the pen and threw over 90 pitches. He can pitch two or three innings out of the pen if needed, but not over 5.. Use him as a traditional lefty reliever.
Signed by the Jays.
Do you member when Detroit’s rotation was so deep, Smyly was relegated to the bullpen? Ooooo, I member!
He’d be an improvement over Ryan Carpenter, and Detroit has a large ballpark. He might be comfortable coming home.
If Ryan Carpenter starts another game for the Tigers, I’ll quit watching baseball the rest of the year.
The Mariners should sign him! Oh wait… They already did that. He never pitched an inning.
The Royals could use him
This has Atkins/Shapiro written all over it. Expect the Jays to make a play for Smyly, for sure.
White Sox. They’ve taken a shot at every other dumpster fire, why stop now.
eh, no thanks. he’s lost his ability to pitch.
Pirates should sign him- we need a left handed starter. Great opportunity for him to show what he has
1-5 8.42 e.r.a. -0.7 war.
Drew Smyly is one player I think is better than he has shown after surgery. He needs to go to a pitcher’s organization (LAD, PIT, TBR…) vs. a hitter’s (TEX, BAL, COL…)
His nickname should be “Guy.”
I would have thought the Brewers could give him a chance at middle relief. Does he prefer to start on a bad team? Because I can’t see a contender putting him in the rotation.