Reliever Matt Wisler has gone unclaimed on outright waivers after being designated for assignment by the Rays this week, reports Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (on Twitter). He’s electing minor league free agency in lieu of an outright assignment, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Wisler go unclaimed, as he’s currently amidst a decent campaign. He owns a 2.25 ERA across 44 innings over 39 appearances. Wisler has only struck out 19.9% of opponents, but he’s shown strong control. While he’s not missed many bats this year, Wisler has induced swinging strikes at an above-average rate in each of the prior three seasons. In both 2020-21, the Ohio native paired those whiffs with decent overall run prevention.
Still, clubs are apparently apprehensive by Wisler’s dip in velocity. He’s averaging a career-low 89.7 MPH on his four-seam fastball this year. More important, his slider is down to 79.8 MPH after sitting at 81.5 MPH last year. Wisler leans almost exclusively on that breaker, turning to it on a staggering 91.5% of his offerings. He’s used the slider as his primary pitch four years running, but he’s continued to push his approach to greater extremes with each season. Despite turning almost exclusively to the slider, Wisler hasn’t encountered any sort of platoon issues. He’s actually fared better against opposite-handed hitters than righties over the past few seasons, including holding southpaws to a .186/.240/.314 line in 75 plate appearances in 2022.
Now that he’s on the open market, Wisler will have the right to explore opportunities elsewhere. Players who join an organization after August 31 aren’t eligible for postseason play, however, so any signing team would only be able to install him in the bullpen for the final few weeks of the regular season. Wisler has surpassed his sixth year of major league service this season, so he’d be eligible for free agency again at the end of the year even if he signs for the stretch run.
It’s possible Wisler just turns his attention to 2023 at this stage on the calendar, but there’d be no financial downside for another team adding him for the final few weeks if he’s searching for a more immediate opportunity. The Rays are responsible for what remains of his $2.16MM salary, while another team would only owe him the prorated portion of the $700K minimum if he finds another MLB job (which would be subtracted from Tampa Bay’s obligations).
Braves should take a flier on him again
Why the braves? For Wisler to not pitch for the braves in the mlb (because they are trying to win the division)? Wisler is not eligible for playoffs. And gone in 5 weeks as a FA. Is AAA needing help?
What on earth is the payoff ?
No to both of you. He burned his ability to come back after the dumb stuff he had to say about the organization when he was traded. He spurned that one. He isn’t nearly as good as he thinks he is and he is getting slower with his pitches.
So we can keep a guy who has a negative 1.0 WAR chokes his wife and drives drunk but not a guy who said something I dont even remember about the previous regiem after getting traded……
Ok
You seem uneducated or just plain. He wasn’t mentioned here but you spout off with it none the less, Why? Of course you don’t remember that happening, because it didn’t. AA was the one who traded him. The thing he had negative to say wasn’t about coppy. It was about AA trading him to a non contender. He was mad at the Braves, not John C. I have not advocated for Ozuna to stay, I hope Grissom out plays him…….. but you keep assuming.
This aint got nothing to do with you or your personal opinion. Im just saying if they can keep Ozuna with all the far worse stuff hes done then Wisler making some remarks after being traded shouldnt be that big of a deal or even a reason not sign him to a cheap deal to basically pitch next year as pitching depth.
You should change your tag from butt head to butt hurt.
Hey Butt-Head, we have no choice but to keep Ozuna, we have a choice with Wisler. The Braves would only need him for low pressure, mop up duty situations, and we have other pitchers who can do that.
Wisler’s response to getting cut: “MOM!!!!!”
Is that a Wisler’s Mother joke?
The only reason to sign him would be to scout and/or court him for next year.
Bring him in, let your coaches see him, let him make friends in case you want him back.
Not sure how much value there is in that.
There are many, many relievers with MLB jobs who are much worse than Wisler, I get that his velocity is down, but he’s still effective. Nobody’s suggesting giving him a massive long-term contract, but it’s absurd that he finds himself without a job at this point in the season.
I’m surprised he went unclaimed. While he’s ineligible for the post season he could help a team like the Yankees, Mets, or Phillies who all have spotty bullpens right now and trouble bridging to the ninth.
Heck even Atlanta could use him. Dylan Lee has shown some rust and fatigue down the stretch. While he’s not a LHP his splits aren’t bad
As I believe I wrote the other day, it really wouldn’t be a surprise if he went unclaimed. A non-contending team (or any team) can’t keep him past the next few weeks, and a contending team can’t roster him for the postseason. Might as well wait for him to clear waivers and save about $200K, which is the difference between paying him the prorated portion of his Tampa salary vs. a prorated portion of league minimum. The only advantage to the former is a team guarantees they get him if they claim him, where they might have some competition for his services for the latter once a free agent. He has value, but teams won’t simply burn an extra $200K unnecessarily for someone of his talent level when they can’t keep him and/or roster him for October baseball.
How did the Mets not claim him? We have had Montes De Oca, Adonis Medina, Stephen Nogosek, Trevor May, Joely Rodriguez, a long with others that have been flat out awful. The bullpen is our achilles heel. I don’t see why they wouldn’t claim Wisler. Wouldn’t be Eppler’s first stupid move as a GM. Our first priority in the offseason should have been solidfying our bullpen by resigning Brad Hand. Rasiel Iglesias would have been a great deadline acquisition. Eppler fell flat on his face in this “robust pitching market”. The Brave’s bullpen is 5x better than the Met’s. Thats why they rarely lose games, on top of their amazing offense
Twins/Rays have been in cothoots for years. Surprised there wasn’t a player-to-be-named deal. He’s no worse than any other arm on that squad.
Twins have already been down that road. Must not have liked what they saw that much.
The goal of pitching is to limit runs, Wisler does just that. But those peripherals! Gaylord Perry is in the HOF, heck he may not have had an opportunity today because he just didn’t strike enough men out!