Veteran left-hander Wade LeBlanc went unclaimed on outright waivers after being designated for assignment by the Orioles and has elected to become a free agent, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports (via Twitter). He’s free to sign with any club for the prorated league minimum.
LeBlanc, 36, was with the Orioles in 2020 and to begin the 2021 season, but his results with Baltimore weren’t pretty. Through 29 innings of work, the veteran was tagged for 27 runs on the strength of 38 hits (seven homers) and nine walks with just 19 strikeouts.
It’s been a few years now since LeBlanc’s quietly solid 2014-18 run, during which he racked up 321 2/3 innings of 3.92 ERA ball between the Angels, Yankees, Pirates and Mariners. Much of that production came during a 2018 season in Seattle where LeBlanc threw a career-high 162 innings over 32 appearances (27 starts) and notched a tidy 3.72 ERA.
The lack of recent success if of course glaring, but LeBlanc carries a lifetime 4.11 ERA in parts of nine Triple-A seasons and a 4.59 ERA in 889 innings at the MLB level. Given the number of pitching injuries around the league early in the 2021 season, he could latch on somewhere as an experienced and cost-efficient depth signing.
Not that it may ultimately matter, but I think he walked away from his (marginally-above minimum) salary when he elected free agency. He could presumably sign a Major or minor league contract above the minimum salary with his new team.
I don’t even remember this guy on the Yankees. He didn’t have time to finish his cup of coffee. Maybe he can borrow some money from his famous Brother Joey from Friends.
Players with 5+ years of service retain their salary even if they elect free agency or are released.
Players with more than three years but fewer than five CAN reject the outright, but doing so results in forfeiture of the remaining guarantee. LeBlanc opened the season with seven-plus years.
I suppose it’s possible he had a 45-day advance consent clause that allows the team to cut him without owing the remainder.. He’s probably looking at the prorated minimum or thereabouts regardless, even on a new deal, however.
This is probably the most anyone has talked about Wade LeBlanc’s salary in awhile. 🙂
Let’s give LeBlanc equal time and respect Steve. Just because he was born in Louisiana and from “the South” which isn’t known as a very “woke” part of our country (as the kids say today), he deserves to have a voice as well.
Sorry Steve, I should have been more specific. I believe he gave advance consent, but now I can’t find that in a public source.
But yes, whether you are talking about signing another contract with a pro-rated $700k salary or one with a pro-rated $570,5k salary, it isn’t a big deal (to anyone not named Wade LeBlanc).
Good luck, Wade!
Considering all the injuries I bet he gets signed.
Wade goes back to the days where Padres fans all had to pull for the underdog (or under performing) pitchers in our system. I remember always just dying for him to succeed. Padres pitching is on a different planet now, but like you say the injuries just keep on coming. Maybe a homecoming to kick the tires is in order. Losing Morejon and Weathers (either to injury or being in the rotation) both from the pen, why not bring him in.
Back to Seattle with half their rotation on the IL.
Mariners is a good guess, and unfortunately probably likely. We just need a half dozen or so starts……
I feel the AL West is an obvious choice. My Halos could give him a look again for depth or long relief. And all the other teams can use some pitching in the division…
The Blue Jays are basically down to two starting pitchers. Mark, Ross, here stands another lhsp that will cost next to nothing!
Who did the Pirates get as the PTNL when he was traded to Seattle years ago? Was just looking at the teams he was on and was trying to figure it out.
Leblanc is a solid pitcher should be able to find a team soon.