Headlines

  • Rhys Hoskins Diagnosed With Torn ACL, Will Undergo Surgery
  • Jed Lowrie Announces Retirement
  • Jose Altuve To Miss About Two Months Due To Thumb Surgery
  • Rockies Sign Jurickson Profar
  • Braves Option Vaughn Grissom, Braden Shewmake
  • Jose Altuve Leaves WBC Game After Hit By Pitch
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

D-backs Decline Options On Mike Leake, Hector Rondon, Junior Guerra

By Steve Adams | October 28, 2020 at 1:04pm CDT

The Diamondbacks are declining their 2021 options over right-handers Mike Leake, Hector Rondon and Junior Guerra, general manager Mike Hazen announced to reporters (Twitter link via Steve Gilbert of MLB.com). Leake’s five-year, $80MM contract (originally signed with the Cardinals) carried an $18MM club option with a $5MM buyout. Rondon’s one-year, $3MM deal included a $4MM club option that will instead be bought out for $500K. Guerra’s $3.5MM club option is being bought out for $100K, but he’ll remain under club control via arbitration.

Leake, who’ll turn 33 in a couple weeks, didn’t pitch in 2020 after becoming the first of several veterans to opt out of the season due to health and safety concerns. He made 10 starts for the D-backs in 2019 after coming over from the Mariners via trade, pitching to a 4.35 ERA with a 27-to-8 K/BB ratio in 60 innings.

Leake’s five-year deal didn’t at all go how the Cardinals envisioned — they ate a sizable portion of the deal to facilitate a trade to Seattle just a year and a half into the contract — but he was rather solid from 2017-19 under the deal. Leake made 94 starts in that time and logged a collective 4.19 ERA through 568 2/3 frames. He’s never been one to miss many bats, but Leake typically has excellent control and ranked sixth among all MLB pitchers in games started from 2011-19.

Rondon, once the Cubs closer, enjoyed a solid 2018-19 run with the Astros before scuffling through a disastrous 2020 season in Arizona. He tallied 20 innings of work but was clobbered for a 7.65 ERA in what will go down as his lone season with the team. In those 20 frames, Rondon yielded 17 earned runs on 25 hits (six homers) 11 walks with 23 strikeouts. He still has a career 3.49 ERA and 3.63 FIP even in spite of this year’s woeful results, so he should be able to get another look somewhere in 2021, his age-33 season — though it’d likely have to come on a non-guaranteed deal.

Guerra, who’ll turn 36 in January, notched a tidy 3.04 ERA in 23 innings this past season, although his 21-to-15 K/BB ratio and 5.03 SIERA tell another story. Guerra was a frequent contributor for the Brewers prior to signing in Arizona, as he pitched to a combined 3.78 ERA in 416 2/3 frames with Milwaukee from 2016-19. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a possible $2.8MM salary for Guerra via arbitration, and if the D-backs feel similarly, it’s not a surprise that they opted not to pay the full freight of his 2021 option.

Share 0 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Transactions Hector Rondon Junior Guerra Mike Leake

Rockies’ Daniel Murphy Enters Free Agency
Main
Nationals Decline 2021 Options On Four Players
View Comments (14)

Comments

  1. drasco036

    2 years ago

    This market is going to be flooded! Just wait until all the non-tender guys hit as teams struggle with payroll.

    Reply
    • jorge78

      2 years ago

      Former Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finleys quote from the mid 1970’s is now sort of coming to fruition: “let them all be free agents!”

      Reply
  2. Dorothy_Mantooth

    2 years ago

    ‘Tis the season for non-tenders and declining options. There are going to be some bargains out there this year from all of these non-tendered players, but it’s really going to piss off the MLBPA. Looks like a work stoppage is coming after the 2021 season…such a bummer!

    Reply
  3. drasco036

    2 years ago

    The CBA negotiations are going to be an event that is for sure!

    I’m not going to lie, I kind of feel for Manfred… sure he screwed up the Astros cheating scandal massively but I kind of felt he was on the right path as far as getting ahead of the CBA negotiations. After the 2020 season there is so much bad blood between the MLPA and the owners and this “dry” market is only going to add fuel to the fire.

    Reply
  4. j_butte

    2 years ago

    Leake would be a nice fit anywhere as a back end guy but I like him a lot in Atlanta. He needs a good defense behind him.

    Reply
  5. lordd99

    2 years ago

    We won’t be able to keep up with our snarky comments at the rate these cuts are coming!

    Guerra is the interesting one. Arbitration panels don’t cut salaries, so they’re banking on signing him somewhere between his $2,550,000 salary and the $3.4M salary, subtracting the 100K buyout. These teams are now looking to save a few hundred K.

    It is possible they simply won’t offer him arbitration and will try and sign him at an even lower salary.

    Reply
    • Dorothy_Mantooth

      2 years ago

      I’m quite sure they will refuse arbitration and give him his release. Arbitration will pay him much more than he’ll get on the open market, including a new deal with Arizona.

      Reply
  6. DarkSide830

    2 years ago

    Rondon’s a good bounce back candidate

    Reply
    • Peart of the game

      2 years ago

      He’ll likely do better in the NPB contractwise.

      Reply
    • Dorothy_Mantooth

      2 years ago

      I could see Boston taking a flyer on Rondon. The Cubs too.

      Reply
      • ludafish

        2 years ago

        The Marlins wanted him this last season. He was apparently one of his choices now. So maybe he can be their next reclamation project like Boxberger

        Reply
  7. Cgoss

    2 years ago

    I could see the Orioles take a chance on Rondon

    Reply
    • Chief Two Hands

      2 years ago

      I can’t see the Orioles at all. I consistently forget that team is in the league.

      Reply
  8. Ducky Buckin Fent

    2 years ago

    I’m interested to see how guys that opted out – like Leake – are perceived around the league.

    I know all the player soundbites were positive; i.e. “we support his decision blahblahblah”. But, those of you who have been in locker rooms know what they’re like.
    I think a lot of these guys are going to be viewed askance as players who (kinda) quit on their teams and teammates.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Rhys Hoskins Diagnosed With Torn ACL, Will Undergo Surgery

    Jed Lowrie Announces Retirement

    Jose Altuve To Miss About Two Months Due To Thumb Surgery

    Rockies Sign Jurickson Profar

    Braves Option Vaughn Grissom, Braden Shewmake

    Jose Altuve Leaves WBC Game After Hit By Pitch

    Edwin Diaz Undergoes Surgery To Repair Patellar Tendon

    Out Of Options 2023

    Cade Cavalli To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Edwin Diaz Helped Off Field With Right Knee Injury

    José Quintana Out Until At Least July Due To Rib Surgery

    Trevor Bauer Signs With NPB’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars

    Craig Stammen “Highly Unlikely” To Pitch Again Following Shoulder Injury

    Diamondbacks, Corbin Carroll Agree To Eight-Year Deal

    Nationals Sign Keibert Ruiz To Eight-Year Extension

    Rockies Showing Interest In Jurickson Profar

    Andrew Painter Diagnosed With UCL Sprain; Ranger Suarez Dealing With Forearm Tightness

    Marlins, Jose Iglesias Agree To Minor League Contract

    Marlins In Agreement With Yuli Gurriel On Minor League Deal

    Carlos Rodon, Tommy Kahnle, Lou Trivino To Begin Season On IL

    Recent

    Rangers Notes: Dunning, Ragans, Smith, Foscue

    Red Sox Notes: Crawford, Mills, Wong, Tapia

    Offseason In Review: Miami Marlins

    Reds’ Luke Weaver, Lucas Sims Expected To Open Season On Injured List

    Rhys Hoskins Diagnosed With Torn ACL, Will Undergo Surgery

    Braves Option Michael Soroka

    Cubs Trade Esteban Quiroz To Phillies

    Tigers Sign Jose Alvarez To Minor League Deal

    Rhys Hoskins Carted Off Field Following Knee Injury

    James Outman, Jason Heyward Will Make Dodgers’ Opening Day Roster

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version