Veteran right-hander David Hale has elected free agency, according to the International League transactions page. The Yankees outrighted Hale on Oct. 19. He had been projected to earn $900K in arbitration.
This may conclude Hale’s time with the Yankees, but it’s worth noting they’ve brought him back in the past after cutting him loose. The club designated Hale for assignment on three separate occasions during the 2018 campaign, though the well-traveled 32-year-old stuck around and managed impressive numbers this season.
Hale, who divided 2019 between New York and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, put up a strong 3.11 ERA/3.32 FIP with 5.5 K/9, 1.67 BB/9 and a 50 percent groundball rate across 20 relief appearances and 37 2/3 big league innings. As a starter in the minors, Hale totaled seven outings and 32 2/3 frames of 4.13 ERA/4.08 FIP ball with 8.27 K/9, 2.76 BB/9 and a 53.3 percent grounder rate. However, a lumbar spine strain derailed his summer, sidelining from the last week of July until the final days of September.
Sure they’ll bring him back if a rival shows interest, his agent will make sure of that.
Again using the verb “elected?” He was FIRED. If JD Martinez opts out of his contract, he’s electing free agency. You can give Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees $1.2 billion for their stadium (well, the taxpayers did) but he doesn’t want to go to arbitration because it’s bad publicity, which he gets to completely avoid when writers say a guy elected free agency. Just saying…
Except he did elect free agency.
He was outrighted, so he could of gone to the minors or elected to head to free agency. He elected the free agency route.
Keep giving your money to Hal’s pockets Yankee fans!
Double Agent David Hale! On the move again!
Seems that this fellow may be of interest to Mike Elias in Baltimore.
He has a couple of cuts to go before he catches up with “Sliderman” Luke Jackson.
Might be a good bullpen arm for the braves to go grab. He was a brave and atlanta is his hometown… not to mention, our bullpen can continue to improve
Hale was usually solid for the Yankees, I would have kept him around over a couple other options. But because they can’t easily send him down, they keep playing tag with him. He’s better off going somewhere where he has a real shot of staying in the pen for the full season.
He had just gotten up to the point of being a trusted bullpen guy when he got hurt. He will contribute to a second tier team and then Suddenly be really wanted at the trade deadline
13 years $500MM