The Braves have re-signed veteran reliever Darren O’Day, per a club announcement. He’ll receive a guarantee of $2.25MM in the contract, which covers the 2020 campaign and includes a $3.5MM club option for another season.
As other clubs plot roster turnover for the winter, the Braves have acted quickly to retain several pieces at the outset of the market. Backstop Tyler Flowers and Nick Markakis were already signed to new deals to remain in Atlanta for one more season, and they’ll now be joined by O’Day for a total outlay of just over $10MM in 2020 payroll.
O’Day, who recently celebrated his 37th birthday, was acquired at the 2018 trade deadline but didn’t appear with the Braves until September of 2019. He dealt with hamstring and forearm issues after coming over from the Orioles.
Though the Braves received only a brief look at the veteran reliever late in the season, he obviously impressed. O’Day was included on the postseason roster and appeared in four of the team’s NLDS contests. All told, he allowed just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings while compiling eight strikeouts against one free pass and four base hits.
O’Day averaged less than 87 mph with his fastball upon his return, though that’s actually only a tick lower than his career average. The sidearming hurler didn’t have any trouble getting swings and misses in that short sample, with an 18.0% swinging-strike rate in his 5 1/3 regular season frames. His full-season career-high in that metric is 14.8%, back in 2015.
It’s a fairly low-cost bet for the Braves, who’ll add O’Day to a high-leverage mix that already features Mark Melancon — another veteran hurler with exceptional command who has had stretches of dominance followed by some recent rough patches. It’d be too much to hope for these experienced righties to return to the levels of dominance they posted a few years back, but there’s good reason to believe there’s gas left in both tanks.
While fans may pine for a dominant closer, it may be that the Braves now consider their bullpen fully accounted for. The organization can tender Shane Greene and hope for a bounceback, while crossing its fingers that Luke Jackson can make the results match his newly eye-popping peripherals. Grant Dayton reemerged late to join Sean Newcomb as options from the left side. And there’s a laundry list of less-established hurlers that have seen recent MLB action and/or impressed of late in the upper minors.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
hope he can stay healthy
At that price, cant wait to see who drops next.
Not sure what you mean. I can’t figure out if you mean the Braves spent very little and therefore have $ to spend in someone big or if you are being sarcastic and saying the Braves will only spend similar amounts of $ on other contracts so there isn’t going to be much to look forward. To be specific, I don’t know what you mean by “drops.”
See what the next name to drop from the front office as being signed or traded. Lot of spots to fill. Should be good.
Gotcha. My best guess would be MadBum but that is only based on the fact that this site recently posted an article saying the Braves are the newly discovered front runner. I think the O’Day contract is a sign that they aren’t going to retain Martin. Another commenter brought up the idea of letting JD walk and signing Moustakas and Grandal. I would love that but I’m not sure it would happen. I also kind of don’t like the fact that so many people are assuming Riley will not become an everyday player. He has a lot to learn but even with his terrible season, Riley hit 18 homers in his shortened rookie season. He has a chance. We don’t need to go out and acquire 3rd basemen and outfielders on longer term deals with the assumption that Riley will never be an everyday player.
I would start Riley at Triple A next season and play him everyday until he figures out how to take walks and hit the slider. Last off season we were offered Realmuto for him and turned it down. He has hit 18 MLB home runs since then. I’m not trading him for anything less than that. He is young. I think their is a real chance he will come around. I don’t get all this Castro talk. We need Grandal or at least darnaud. We also need starting pitching. Why not sign those players and leave a band aid at 3rd and/or the outfield. Riley could figure it out and play outfield and Camargo might go back to being a good 3rd basemen like he was when he played everyday before. Camargo and Riley might actually have a good bit left in the tank.
Would love the moose, Grandal scenario, who would be your other starting pitcher that would be needed and corner outfielder that’s also a need? I like Riley but thing that scares me is 15 of those homers were in the first month. 3 months to try and readapt with no success cant be a good showing. Snitker being so proud of his players he cant see when the players are trending down and need a break. Needed to send him back to AAA late last season.
Ryu, save $$$ on the age, injury risk, but coming off Cy-caliber season, can show #1-stuff and his groundball success makes Keuchel look like Teheran.
Pretty solid deal. The guy needs to stay healthy though. We’ve paid him enough to be hurt. Keep plugging away and upgrading that bullpen more. Would love another solid arm back there. Chris Martin would be great, ideally someone much better though.
My hopes, we open the pocket book just a tad, go get JD, Bum, and Castro. Chris Martin at the worse in the bullpen And bring back Joyce. That 5th rotation spot I’m hoping Wright or Wilson take the next step next year, or maybe Newcomb as a nice bounce back. Outfield… trade Ender of some return, or just wait it out until one of the minor leaguers are ready to take the jump.
I love this signing. I hope the can resign Martin too.
Ugh, noooo.
Why you say that? He is one of the best relievers in baseball when healthy and the braves basically got him for peanuts This is the only braves move I’ve been genuinely happy about so far this off season. Markakis is meh. But I can’t stand watching flowers dropping fastballs right down the middle
I’m just not a fan. I’m tired of all the money he’s made while hurt.
I’m sure it’ll be fine, I’m just the type who thinks Atlanta needs more mph in the bullpen.
It’s not your money that he earned while hurt, so why care? A $2.5 million gamble where the upside is one of the better relievers in baseball is a fantastic move for them. As a Mets fan, I would have offered $3-4 million in a heartbeat.
Nothing wrong with this signing
Hopefully get MadBum done quickly
I like the idea of Castro sharing time with Flowers
Newcomb needs every chance to win the 5th starters role. When on his stuff is nasty.
Re-sign Joyce and keep Ender until Pache is ready.
As long as JD re-signs I see the offense being strong enough to hold it down until Waters & Pache are ready.
Would love for AA to make a deal to bring Buster over with MadBum but I don’t see that as being realistic with the money they don’t spend.
MadBum doesn’t want to leave the Giants. Can’t see the Braves trading enough to get Posey.
He is good as gone
If he wanted to stay in San Fran he would have a contract by now
No for Joyce. They need a decent outfielder for the “platoon” with Markakis
Posey means MUCH more to the Giants than he probably would to any other team. His injury history has severely limited his effectiveness behind the plate and also with the bat. No way would I think Atlanta would pay the cost to acquire him, and they shouldn’t.
Please stop with the Posey means more to the Giants nonsense. He would be invaluable to a young pitching staff like the Braves. And do you really think I would suggest them try & get him without the Giants eating some of his contract ???
I love how ppl on here say in 1 breath that his offensive numbers are down but then will say move him to 1B when Bart is ready.
The problem with Posey is he is expected to carry to much of the offensive support for the Giants. For the Braves he would hit 7th or 8th. His value would lie in him leading a young pitching staff
And please stop with how much he means to the Giants if they could move a major part of that salary while collecting a prospect they would absolutely do it with Bart knocking on the doorstep.
Also it’s not like the Giants couldn’t spin it that they know they are rebuilding so they are moving their icon to his childhood team to play for a ring or 2 at the end of his career
And why would Buster want to spend his last few years in a rebuild playin for a FO & manager that’s priority is to rebuild and having the team’s top prospect breathing down his throat
please stop Tom Seaver was traded this is a business anybody can be moved
By no means was I saying that Posey couldn’t be a very useful part of a Braves team. No where did I suggest that you were saying that Atlanta should pay any price necessary for Posey. All I was stating was my opinion that San Fran will probably want much more for Posey than other teams should pay. That is my opinion.
Nice pitcher. The Angles let him go because Scioscia didn’t think he threw hard enough.
The only thing Scioscia knew about relief pitching was to bring in Scot Shields. When Shields went south, so did Scioscia’s bullpen knowledge.
For the price O’Day is a bargain as long as he stays healthy. As for the choice of JD and MadBum, I’d prefer Moose and grandal, with MadBum. The price for grandal AND moose will be just as much if not a little more than what JD would cost by himself. Take out 2 birds with one stone and don’t lose any offense while at it. And with the bullpen, really only one piece is needed. Martin is ok or heck why not Dyson. A full offseason and spring training with the other added pieces (Melancon, and Greene) will help them get more comfy and less stressed to produce.
I believe Dyson had surgery and will not be pitching in 2020.
I’m not sure why all these Braves fans keep wanting Moose. I can almost guarantee that will not happen. He bats from the left side and the entire reason for signing JD last year was a RH power bat to hit behind Freeman. The only way Moose is signed is if they also pick up a RH power bat for the outfield and I do not see them doing both.
Eye popping Luke Jackson? Closer turned set up man, gives up leads now.
Epic….. trying to recoup a few bucks on the 9 million while O’Day rehabbed ? Maybe get something out of him.
Let the penny pinching begin.
Get Cole and Grandall. You saved $44m already.
OZZIE
DANSBY
FREDDIE
ACUNA
GRANDAL
DUVALL
NICK
CAMARGO/RILEY
WORLD SERIES.
Acuna need to lead off. He can’t handle the pressure of a cleanup hitter yet
Our 1-3 just won Silver Slugger Awards and dude wants to throw a wrench in it..
Acuna strikes out too much to be a lead off hitter. Move him down!
Because 21 year olds never improve their plate discipline.
Until I see the club willing to spend I won’t hold my breath. Unloading Julio’s salary isn’t enough…. heck for less money they would resign him back.
Long way until spring training…… we shall see.
Not the first move I was hoping for but I like it anyway. Now sign Bumgarner and let Donaldson walk! They can sign Moose (not that I want him) at a cheaper price to hit the same number of home runs. That is all JD is good for offensively anyway. Don’t waste money on the overrated injury risk who performs in his contract year.
“that’s all he’s good for offensively”
Lol that’s so incorrect.
Oday OdayOdayOday Oday. Miss him in Baltimore. If any Braves fans havent seen segway video with him and Buck Showalter it’s a must watch.