The Diamondbacks have added a proven closer to their murky bullpen mix, signing reliever Mark Melancon to a two-year contract with a $14MM guarantee. The ISE Baseball client will receive a salary of $6MM in both 2022 and 2023. The deal also comes with a $5MM mutual option for 2024, which includes a $2MM buyout.
Melancon is coming off his seventh career sub-3.00 ERA season — his second in as many years. After signing with the Padres for a comparatively paltry one year and $3MM shortly before the start of 2021 Spring Training, the four-time All-Star led the big leagues in saves for the second time in his career, notching 39 in 64 appearances.
Though something of a journeyman — and hardly a flamethrower by today’s standards — Melancon has established himself as one of the game’s most consistently effective relievers. Across a 13-year career with the Yankees, Astros, Red Sox, Pirates, Nationals, Giants, Braves, and Padres, Melancon has covered 670 2/3 innings with a sparkling 2.79 ERA (2.94 FIP). His 244 saves ranked fourth among active players, behind only Craig Kimbrel, Kenley Jansen, and Aroldis Chapman.
Unusually unreliant on the strikeout for a closer (his 22.6% strikeout rate barely exceeds the major league average of 20.6%), Melancon relies on an elevated ground ball rate (56.4%; league average is 43.8%) to limit the longball; indeed, his home run rate of 1.4% is less than half the 2.9% big-league average. Though now entering his age-37 season, these trends have shown no signs of decline; since 2019, Melancon’s GB% and HR% are 58.7% and 1.4%, respectively — right in line with his career numbers.
Though he hasn’t had a poor season since at least 2012, when he posted a 6.20 ERA (4.58 FIP) in Boston, Melancon has experienced something of a late-career resurgence. From 2013 to 2016, he put together 290 innings of 1.80 ERA ball — good for an eye-popping 213 ERA+ — to go along with 147 saves for the Pirates and Nationals, including a majors-leading 51 for Pittsburgh in 2015. He turned those numbers into a four-year, $62MM pact with the Giants after the 2016 season, though a blood flow issue limited his availability and effectiveness. In 115 1/3 innings in San Francisco, Melancon compiled a still-solid 3.67 ERA (3.32 FIP) before heading to Atlanta in a deadline-day trade in 2019. He’s since pitched 108 1/3 innings of 2.66 ERA ball between the Braves and Padres.
The move to Phoenix represents something of a homecoming for Melancon, who played college ball at the University of Arizona in Tucson. The move is at least a bit surprising, though, as D-backs GM Mike Hazen had frankly admitted the club is unlikely to in contend 2022. Coming off an NL-worst 52-110 record in 2021, Arizona looks at least a few years from contention, even as several of their top players (Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, Carson Kelly) are under team control for several years to come.
Arizona will hope that Melancon can stabilize a bullpen in need of a few more arms but with several serviceable pieces. Caleb Smith, Noe Ramirez, and J.B. Wendelken will return after solid years, and 23-year-old Luis Frias will look to build on a promising debut in 2021. Few other relievers were able to string multiple solid outings together, however, as the club finished third from the bottom with a 5.08 ERA on the year — ahead of only the Nationals and Orioles.
The Diamondbacks may not contend in 2022, but Hazen’s decision to give real (if comparatively modest) money to Melancon could signal that he’s sincere in his stated preference to hold onto his best young players. Marte in particular would return a king’s ransom, but Arizona does have a top-10 farm system (No. 9, per MLB Pipeline) that includes three top-50 prospects in Jordan Lawlar, Corbin Carroll, and Alek Thomas (though only Thomas is close to big-league-ready).
According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Melancon’s $6MM 2022 salary will put the D-backs just north of $55MM in salary commitments for 2022 (excluding salaries for players eligible for arbitration), a big step down from last year’s roughly $96MM number. Hazen’s comments likely signal that the club intends to remain below that number, but he will like have space to continue to add should he choose to do so.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic was the first to report the signing; Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the guaranteed money; and Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic tweeted Melancon’s annual salaries and the terms of his option.
I’m surprised he couldn’t find a deal with a contender
He went to college in Arizona and is 36. Might have wanted to play there once before he retires
He was staying in the South West. Wants to be close to his super-compound in Mexico.
sportscasting.com/inside-braves-pitcher-mark-melan…
I’m surprised Arizona spent the money. Good for Meloncon
Billy Corgan’s dog’s adoptive father lol
Yeah, and there won’t be much for him to do – plenty of rest
I’m surprised Arizona spent the money. Good for Meloncon though
He could have pursued Boston. I think Bobby Valentine is gone now.
Need to have a lead in order to save a lead, odd signing.
Every year is different, you never know.
Fully paid pre-retirement
Looks like the Mets will end up overpaying for Rosenthal
I feel like the D-Backs sign a former closer every year
You are right about that!!
Gonna be flipped at the deadline as long as he doesn’t get blown up in Arizona, which is possible
Makes sense. They can flip him if he’s pitching well.
Interesting move on the Diamondback end. I wish Mark luck in Arizona.
Scoping out new locations for his artificial turf company?
diamondqualityturf.com/meet-our-team
What an up and down career. It’s gotta be for like 2 years/$20M, minimum, I’d imagine, possibly up to 2 years/$29M or something. He was too good the last couple years to not get something like that with pitching prices at a premium.
C’mon dude. You’re way off again.
Doesn’t the Mets need relief pitching ? They’re all going to be gone
Retirement home or trade bait. Heavy price for bait tho
Is he trying to complete the NL West circuit?
Really thought he’d return to SD.
Probably a location decision at this stage of his career. The one I’m keeping an eye on is the former Dback, Andrew Chafin. He’s been a reliable lefty for so long it’s hard to believe he won’t turn 32 until next June. He would be a nice addition to a lot of teams. The Phillies would seem to be a natural fit. Joe Kelly can also help someone.
Sure it’s that and not $ lol
If the dollars are not too high, I could see the Sheriff going back to Wrigley.
Getting him for $3M last year was a bargain and after his performance he was going to cash in. I thought it was pretty clear he was going to get a significant raise and SD isn’t really in a spot to pay up for him.
I think people just assume since SD has been increasing payroll a lot over the last few years that they are always big spenders now, but they’re pretty tapped out financially until some of these bad contracts come off the books.
AZ income taxes are MUCH lower than California…..good move Mark
he did go to the University of Arizona for college baseball, and he has also played for the SF Giants and the Padres, so it’s mostly a connection thing more than state preference.
I’m glad he didn’t, though surprised how little he got in the end. He’s one of those players where the stats and the eye don’t match up. He’s had some good results, but you never felt confident with him, always seemed like he was a pitch away from blowing up. Wish him luck, but glad we don’t have to sit through another season of him as my nerves can’t handle it! lol
14 mil over two years is a bargain!
He was a bargain last winter as well.
For Redsoxx62 and others: you are correct that the Dbacks are not a contender, which is an important consideration for a reliever, however the Dbacks currently have zero closers, so what the Dbacks dangled was a guaranteed Closer’s job, which is also an important consideration for relievers looking for a new team. That and the location fitting with Melancon’s preferences.
Only way this makes sense for the D’backs is if they got him to flip him at the deadline.
Even bad teams need useful veterans.
Yes, as trade bait. They should be rebuilding, which makes guys that help them win in the short-term counter-productive.
Are you suggesting they go with no players?
He won’t be overworked, so maybe he’ll get some velocity back.
Melancon is better than Neris by a wide margin. I would have thought he would get more like one year 12 million with Padres or Phillies.
Not sure how many save opportunities for the Snakes and I am thinking not many readers predicted this one! I sure did not.
He was terrible when he was with the Giants.
They couldn’t wait to unload him.
True. But he was good with Braves and Padres.
And the Pirates before that. I was hoping the Phillies would have signed him last year. And this year.
He’s not going to be very busy.
Whoa! I didnt expect a closer to move to a club that is a mess in a tough division in a bandbox stadium. Expect Melancon to regress stat wise across the board with this move.
Melancon 2/$14 << Garcia 2/$7
No neck as he’s affectionately known by Braves fans
I bet he took less money for the opportunity to chase 300 saves
Good signing for the Dbacks. Do I think they are going to suck next year? Probably. They have too many young bats to do anything on offense – though I do like the young guys they have. Still need a 3B and anyone not named Ahmed at SS. But, I do think their starting pitching has a chance for a bounce back year. And with Marte in the lineup they are a completely different team.
Solid signing by the Dbacks. Looks like a going home contract.
Not gonna get many savez with that team.
You should be ASHAMED of that comment Ashamedmethgoat! Melancon led the league last year. Closing for a team that was sub-.500, 79 wins. Dbacks will be about a .500 team in 2022, so Melancon will probably put up comparable numbers to his 2021 performance.
Scott in AZ,
Why do you think snakes will be 0.500 in 2022?
Dbacks have a solid core of young position players. Only 3b is a question. Several of these young players took a big step forward from beginning to end of last season, especially Daulton Varsho and Geraldo Perdomo. And stud CF Alex Thomas arrives in May.
Starting pitching had off-year, in my opinion because the bullpen imploded early and dragged them down.
Only the bullpen was truly a mess last year and needs to be totally rebuilt. Melancon is a great start. If Dbacks sign two more solid, veteran, back end of the bullpen FA, the rest of the bullpen pieces will be there.
Dbacks lost more 1 run games, by far, that any other team in MLB. Cure bullpen woes and a young team can compete.
Dbacks also strengthened coaching with addition of Bannister as Bench Coach and Strom as Pitching Coach.
I don’t think anyone truly believes that the DBacks will be .500 next season, but there’s also at least reasons for optimism.
The Melancon signing makes the bullpen look significantly better than at any point last season (I dare say that the only name that jumps out as terrifying is Widener, but with Melancon on board there’s no reason for him to see game time after the 6th).
Varsho solidifying himself as a competent defensive CF and settling in offensively in the second half, in addition to having McCarthy backing him up ensures that neither Smith nor Marte will ever see another inning in CF (to which I’m certain the pitchers are grateful). Having Luplow presents a platoon option for either Peralta or Smith that’s higher upside than Reddick was and also likely ensures that Rojas spends most of his time in the IF. That’s not even mentioning Thomas and Hummel, who are all but guaranteed to reach MLB for the first time next season, and both have offensive projections north of a league average hitter in spite of that.
I’m honestly surprised that Walker wasn’t non-tendered, but I suppose there’s worse candidates to hold down the position until Beer shows a full recovery. Marte has 2B on lock and should be able to ideally minimize injury risk with proper shifting, so Rojas is likely left at 3B (which is fine as he’s shown he can be something near a league average hitter and playing 3B is the only time he should be standing to the left of Second Base). Fortunately, Perdomo’s late season tweaks seemed to play in MLB, so there’s some incentive to shield Ahmed from RHP to get him play time.
Kelly is one of the few on the team that hit LHP really well and should rightfully have the majority of the time receiving; however, he does still need time off, and that time off would preferably be against RHP. While I do hope that Varsho gets enough token appearances for fantasy purposes, Herrera is a better catch and throw option, seems to have more than decent plate discipline, and (like Perdomo) is a switch hitter.
I won’t sugarcoat that the SP are not great (Bumgarner is likely no more than a #4 by results), but Gallen and Kelly are already around league average #3s or slightly better, and getting improvements from at least one of: Castellanos, Frias, Mejia, or Martin (and Castellanos and Martin have both worked with Strom before), is not an unreasonable expectation. Jameson and Nelson also have an outside shot of reaching MLB, and they have better raw stuff than anyone on the 26-Man not named Bukauskas; any rotation promotions likely pushes Gilbert to a MIRP or Weaver to a SIRP (either of which makes the ‘Pen deeper and pushes Widener off the roster).
I’m not quite ready to hail Brent Strom as the savior of the staff, but he does have a good track record at the very least. Plus, Joe Mathers as the hitting coach was another encouraging hire. So many coaching shake ups that I even forgot about Bannister!
None of this is to say that I think they’re going to legitimately compete in the NL West, but between: not rapidly shuffling playing positions, minimizing injuries, likely a more agressive hook from Torey, a heavier focus on platooning, and even semi-successful work with Strom/Mathers; I wouldn’t be completely surprised if they’re within spitting distance of .500 by the end of next season.
Maybe it’s as “Pie in the Sky” as expecting them to do anything of note last season, but at least it’s a much tastier looking pie.
Surprised more teams weren’t interested. He was lights out for periods last season and has been consistent throughout his career
Who will be the closer for the Padres now ?
Exactly my question, and Preller seems mostly focused on off loading Hosmer before signing anyone. Jansen makes a lot of sense for SD, but Brad Hand would be more affordable.
Win-Now made activated.
He missed his chance for a ring, “because he wanted to sign with a contender.” Sometimes I don’t understand some of these players. If you were really playing because you want to win you’d go to a side capable of reaching the play-offs and winning the World Series.
MISSED IT BY THAT [ = ] MUCH !!
According to informed sources, The Marlins were in on Mark Melancon right up until he signed the deal to join the Diamondbacks.. The Marlins made a “strong” offer, but not one that matched the Diamondbacks’ financial commitment. The Marlins weren’t the only team to be outbid.
The Minnesota Twins had also been linked to Melancon.
Offer Ketel Marte to the Yankees for top prospects, but only on the condition that they take on Bumgarner’s contract.
If top prospects are wanted, then there’s no way they attach Bumgarner’s contract. The idea of trading Marte is to get max value, not to get salary relief.