The Red Sox announced today that they have re-signed infielder Marco Hernandez and lefty Josh Osich. Both had been non-tendered in advance of Monday’s deadline.
Both players are headed back onto the 40-man roster. The reason for this approach, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe explains on Twitter, was to enable the sides to agree to a different contract structure than would have been possible in the arbitration context.
Osich gets a split contract with a $850K MLB salary, according to Speier (Twitter link). He had projected to earn $1MM via arbitration after being claimed by the Red Sox from the White Sox in October. The 31-year-old worked to a 4.66 ERA in 67 2/3 MLB innings last year, recording 8.1 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 but coughing up 15 home runs.
As for Hernandez, whose re-signing was reported yesterday, he’ll have a split deal with a MLB rate of $650K MLB (also via Speier, on Twitter). He hasn’t done much damage with the bat in limited opportunities at the game’s highest level, but the organization obviously still thinks the versatile defender could be a valuable roster piece. Hernandez, who hopes to put his shoulder issues behind him in 2020, had projected to earn $700K via arbitration.
Glad to hear about signing both these guys. I think Josh Osich had appeal around the league so it’s nice they kept him.
Well played by RS GM…will likely save them $1M+..while being stashed in the minors during the season.
“I love ya, darlin’, I just don’t love ya a million dollars worth….”
MLB front offices successfully undermining arbitration.
They were free to sign anywhere after they were non-tendered.
I’m not sure I see a role for Osich in the coming yeah with the new 3-batter minimum rule. He has REALLY struggled against RH hitters over his career and now he’d be forced to presumably face at least one an outing. Unless the Sox think they can make some sort of adjustment to make him more effective against righties I’m just not sure he’s really going to provide all that much value. Against LH hitters – that’s another story — he’s essentially dominated them throughout his career (OPBA .210)
Unless the 3 batter rule changes things, I believe the rule states a pitcher must face 3 batters, not must complete 3 entire ABs against batters.
More common in college, I recall a BOS/NYY game where Girardi lifted a reliever who was facing JBJ to bring in I think betances, mid count, and not because of any injury.
You can get creative. There’s the IBB, there’s leaving after throwing one B outside the zone to your 3rd batter of an inning, there is coming in with less than 3 batters left to an inning.
Heck, if you really were a glutton for punishment, find an elite LOOGY, give him 1B fielding reps, and shift him to 1B/OF for a final out of the inning if that’s what it takes. We’re used to NL teams moving the pitcher to the OF for a batter then coming back, I’d assume they kept a carve out in the rule for that sort of thing, but maybe not. I’ll admit it’s been a long time since I looked at what they adopted
Plenty of opportunities for loopholes to a creative manager depending how mlb might tweak the rule this offseason before it starts
Outside of injury, the intent is to face/complete so if it gets abused, it will be fixed. That said, I thought the rule was three batters or complete an inning. Idea is to stop the one batter, change pitchers delays. If there are two outs when a reliever comes in and gets the next batter out, he doesn’t have to start the next inning.
Osich was never a real “control” pitcher (2:1 K/BB ratio) and the Red Sox seem to enjoy fixing up those type of pitchers. Osich’s ERA and FIP and pretty much identical and that shows that he’s pretty much an average middle reliever.
The shape the Red Sox are in they don’t mind having a few average Bullpen arms in their system.
These two should fire their agents if their agents persuaded them to do this. Took both less money and less leverage.
How? Their alternative was to test free agency where they were at most getting a minor league deal with an invite. They weren’t guaranteed the projected amounts.
They would have a lot more leverage as minor league free agents. Sign a minor league deal with an early opt out, and at least you’re making more money on the minor league side of the split contract (which they’re both likely to occupy more of). On a split contract your minor league pay is way less, and you dont actually make that 600k when you’re in the minors.
This deal they took was “take less money, and also let us further reduce it by making it a split contract so you get paid nothing if we put you in AAA. In return… nothing”
That’s absolutely terrible work by their agents.
Why? Osich is lucky to have a MLB deal, he’s awful on the mound.