Sept. 3: The Brewers announced that Jeffress has been released. He’s eligible to sign with any other club at this point but would not be postseason eligible in 2019. The previous 2020 option on his contract was rendered moot when he was released, so any club signing Jeffress to a new deal would control him only through the end of the current season (unless a new club option were to be tacked on).
Sept. 1: The Brewers are set to release right-hander Jeremy Jeffress, tweets Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. As Rosenthal notes, the veteran reliever is currently on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hip.
It’s the culmination of a shocking turn of events for the 31 year-old, whose 1.29 ERA last season was a key reason Milwaukee advanced within a game of the World Series. The 2019 season has been nowhere near as effective for Jeffress (or the team), who has seen his strikeout rate drop from 29.8 percent to 20.4 percent. Despite strong walk and ground-ball numbers, Jeffress simply hasn’t been overpowering enough to get an adequate number of outs this year.
Jeffress had a club option covering his 2020 services, so evidently Milwaukee wasn’t interested in bringing him back at that rate and valued the 40-man roster spot over whatever they felt he could offer were he to get healthy. It’s possible to see Jeffress latch on elsewhere if an interested team feels comfortable with his medicals, but he’ll be ineligible for anyone’s postseason roster as a post-September 1 addition. It’s certainly arguable that Jeffress would be best suited sitting out the remainder of the season and turning his attention to the offseason, where his track record still seems likely to find him a major-league contract.
And they waited until September to release him so he can’t be eligible for the playoffs.
Because they knew that the Cubs would take a flyer. Pretty smart move.
Umm…no.
If he’s terrible this year, then why would that bother them?
Well nevermind, looks like he’s done for the year.
But he is probably done for the year BECAUSE he can’t play in the playoffs. There is a reason the announcement he is done for the year came after the announcement of his release. Why would he want to come back and risk pitching for someone in September if there is no chance for the postseason roster. Especially since that September showing is unlikely to change his contract offers this off season. The Brewers were smart to release him when they did, and Jeffress was also smart to decide to shut it down now and heal for next year. He’s getting paid regardless, both this season and next.
Hoping that the new team picks up his 2020 option?
And the Cubs ain’t making the playoffs.
No..he was on the DL cant release a player while hes on the DL
Wow… maybe the A’s take a flyer?
Actually on second thought, maybe not… lol.
Red Sox should pick him up. Would be great bullpen addition.
Welcome to our exhibit. “The volatility of relief pitchers from year to year”. And here’s our first case study, Jeremy Jeffress.
Yes,but this means that he will be very good next year.
I am surprised at this as he has generally been a very good relief pitcher.
It seems as though he is not allowed to have a bad year.
He’s had plenty of bad years. Fortunately, he’s had a few more very good years than bad.
He wasn’t very good in 2017, though he was better once he got to Milwaukee. I’m not trying to criticize him, just pointing out the wild swing in his numbers from pre-2017 to 2017, then great last year, then not so much this year. The guy’s a solid big league reliever overall, but he fluctuates between barely average and borderline great.
He’s not welcome back in Texas, for sure!
He’s just another in a long line of those “scream and shout” closers who flame out after a year or two. Anyone else notice how those pump their fist relievers always flame out quickly ?
He’s definitely loves attention like Puig.
Please add to your list. I don’t think the connection you’re trying to make has a common thread.
Yeah, what could they possibly mean?
Fernando Rodney fires arrow in your direction w/hat askance….
First two that came to mind were K-Rod and Papelbon, both of whom had long successful careers.
He won’t be out of a job for long. Take time off to get right, mentally and physically and come back strong next year.
The brewers had an option to keep him around for the 2020 season, at what time does a team (any team, not necessarily the Brewers) need to announce that they’ve exercised the option on a player? The day after the World Series is over? Or is it any time between the ending/beginning of a season?
This definitely means the Brewers have already decided to decline the option.
But I think the official deadline is either 5 or 10 days after the World Series.
There is a deadline at some point during the offseason, prior to the start of the official beginning of free agency.
He was released. Meaning released from his contract. The Brewers will owe him the remainder of his salary for the season (unless he’s picked up by some team, then the Brewers will owe the remainder, minus league minimum), plus whatever the buyout to decline his option (if there is a buyout for declining). If he hadn’t been released they would announce the option being picked up/declined after the World Series historically. Although I’m sure most teams have decided beforehand.
it depends. it’s usually 5-10 days as someone said below, but there can be written into the deal a smaller window (i’ve seen a few that are listed as 3 days post world series)..
His shoulder was hurting in the postseason last year, then he came in this spring and it still wasn’t right. I’m sure his ineffectiveness all year was due to him trying to pitch through it. He needs his shoulder fixed if he’s going to return as a viable reliever.
Brewers were smart in waiting till September to release him but I would (if I was him) be putting the Brewers on my no trade list on my next contract.
Because why?
They gave him multiple career-saving opportunities. Once before trading him to Texas (trading him to Texas, then a “contender”), bringing him back, and giving him every chance to get right this year before this injury and ultimate release.
The post September 1 release can be viewed as a positive or negative. Since he can’t be on a postseason roster, it’s actually better for him long term (assuming he could have come back at some point) to allow him at least 1 more month to get healthy for next year. And being on the IL already, who would have wanted to give him a roster spot hoping he’d come back..in 2018 form?
Thank you brewers for not signing Kimbrel or attempting to out bid someone for him. He sucks.
Still pitched way better than Hader did in August.
How are you defending Kimbrel? He does suck. Just admit it, it’s ok to be honest with yourself for once cubs fans.
Im honestly surprised with the lack of starting pitching and the over use of the bullpen in Milwaukee last year and this year that they havent wasted all of their arms…. You cant build a WS contender without starting pitching… Milwaukee flamed out at the end last year and they arent even close this year even with Yelich and company
You can’t win without good starting pitching unless you are the Yankees who.lost 32 players to IL & still had most wins, despite one good starting pitcher, German. Because they have a loaded minor league system of course
Very hard for a team to reach the playoffs when they make their surefire #1 starter their closer. There is only so much Yelich can do to mask the poor decision making by the Brewers. Hader is a perennial 15-win starter in-waiting.
Releasing players outright is the new MLB. Incredible the numbers of guys being released the last several years. Teams are willing to eat some cash to have some accountability for players who didn’t deliver or who stunk. . But this means more and more careers are going to end sooner.
MLB and todayscpkayets have ruined the game by making it a game if HRs and strikeouts. And 14 pitcher pitching staffs. It is a dreadful product compared to baseball if the past. Most games are not even entertaining they are so unidimensional.
76 innings is a lot for a reliever & I would assume he was injured & still pitching considering his eta up to June was 2.52, then ballooned to 7.00 after
WAot till next year when you can only add one player to your roster to 26 from 25. You think the bullpens/pitching is bad now? No roster expansion to 40 like this year. I would go with 6 starters in April if I was a manager.
Fat Albers can join him