3:49 pm: McFarland’s deal guarantees him $2.5MM, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). The deal contains an additional $500K in incentives, per Heyman, meaning the veteran southpaw could max out at $3MM.
10:30 am: The Cardinals have announced that they have re-signed left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland to a one-year contract, the financials of which are not yet known.
McFarland’s stay in free agency this year is much shorter than last year, when he signed a minor league deal with the Nationals in mid-February. He never got into a game with the Nats, however, being released in June to sign a minor league deal with the Cards and selected to their big league club a few weeks later. McFarland proved to be very effective down the stretch for St. Louis, logging 38 2/3 innings with an ERA of 2.56. His strikeout rate of 14.6% was well below average, but he’s always gotten his outs on the ground, as evidence by his 63.7% grounder rate, which is right around where he’s been throughout his career.
The Cardinals were evidently quite pleased with his performance, as they have quickly pounced and brought him back, less than 24 hours into free agency. With McFarland, Andrew Miller, Kwang Hyun Kim, Jon Lester, Wade LeBlanc and J.A. Happ all becoming free agents this week, that left Genesis Cabrera and Brandon Waddell as the only left-handed pitchers on the club’s 40-man roster. But the team didn’t hesitate to address a clear area of need and have brought McFarland back to shore up the southpaw side of their bullpen.
Over nine different seasons, the 32-year-old McFarland has thrown 439 2/3 innings with an ERA of 3.95, 13.7% strikeout rate, 7.5% walk rate and 62.9% groundball rate.
Great move by Mozeliak bringing back T.J McFarland. He had a terrific season with the Cardinals last season.
I like him, few years ago I was at a baseball camp, he came down and was a special guest, signed everybody’s stuff.
I’ll reserve an opinion until we see the contract specs. Bringing back Mikolas was a great idea too, until I saw how much he was getting paid.
Very happy with this deal at $2.5MM/1yr.
Girsch is and has been the GM for over four years. Mozeliak is the President of Baseball Operations.
Girsch gets coffee for Mo among other minor tasks. Mo is driving the bus. Which way the bus is really going will be determined by this off season and the performance of next years offense and pitching staff. Just hope Mo/Girsch did not overpay TJ for his few good months. Mo had done some great things in the past, but his track record in extending his own guys and bullpen free agency has been dismal.
So Girsch didn’t sign DeJong, Goldschmidt and Matt Carpenter?
@binnington50 no that was mo in today’s mlb pbo’s are the new gm, most teams had to create new managerial positions so the guys “in the wings” can’t be picked off. i.e. if your a gm under contract you can’t interview for a job unless it’s a promotion. mlb has set down ground rules on that you can only break contract and seek new employment as long as it’s a promotion from your current status. in stl grisch is just a glorified asgm if grisch does anything other than be mo’s overpaid secretary is he might be the guy that writes up the contracts and the language that goes into them contacts (which imo is basically secretary work)
I’m certain you are simplifying the duties of a GM. If he were basically a secretary, as you suggest, the position would be obsolete.
Big W
I couldn’t imagine his deal being more than 1yr/$2M since he was bouncing around last year. Good signing if this is the case.
Good news. The Mac Attack is back.
No more than 3mil please. Journeyman relief pitchers are so random. Dominic Leone couldn’t get his grandma out when he was on Cardinals, looks unhittable with Giants.
What was Dominic Leone’s grandma’s BABIP?
@monkey’s uncle about 100 points less than ty cobb’s, only because just like ty she’s 60+ and hasn’t played bb in over 20 years lol. (that was a modified quote from the ty cobb movie with tommy lee)
Or her OPS?
I really like this signing for the Cardinals and TJ. Next signing for the Cardinals will be Luis Garcia on a 1 or 2 year deal. I figure 2 years for $5 Million.
Agreed. I actually would have been ok with it if they had added a year on McFarland’s deal. Maybe 2 yrs/4 million. He might have went lower AVV for greater total $$.
A 63 percent ground ball rate pitcher is ideal for a gold glove infield like the Cardinals have.
Today we lost a good man and left handed pitcher. RIP Pedro Feliciano and thanks for all them years and a gritty performance all the time in Queens.
That’s a good start, but the Cardinals still need to sign at least 2 more relievers to Major League deals before I’ll feel comfortable with their bullpen.
Right now, they only have McFarland, Gallegos, Cabrera, Hicks, along with the swingmen Reyes and Woodford as quality relief pitchers, plus the more questionable options of Helsley, Whitley, Elledge, Fernandez, and Oviedo.