Free-agent reliever Ken Giles will host a workout for interested teams on Feb. 8, tweets Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The showcase will give big league clubs a look at Giles just before spring training commences.
Still just 32 years old, Giles has pitched only 4 1/3 innings over the past two seasons. The former Astros and Blue Jays closer underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 30, 2020, which wiped out his entire 2021 season. He signed a two-year deal with the Mariners in the 2020-21 offseason with the hope that he could be a pivotal member of Seattle’s bullpen in the second year of the contract, but a strained tendon in his right middle finger further pushed back his timeline.
Giles didn’t allow a run in those 4 1/3 innings he tossed with Seattle last year, but he also walked four of the 18 batters he faced and pitched with a 94.8 mph average fastball that was down quite a ways from the 97 mph he averaged in his last full, healthy season (2019). The Mariners designated Giles for assignment in August, after which he elected free agency and signed a minor league deal with the Giants. He didn’t get back to the Majors by season’s end, however.
Three full seasons have elapsed since Giles was last a dominant late-inning force, but given his track record, he should still draw eyes from scouts. From 2014-19, Giles logged 347 1/3 innings of 2.67 ERA ball and stacked up 114 saves between the Phillies, Astros and Jays. He fanned exactly one-third of his opponents along the way and did so while posting a lower-than-average 7.5% walk rate. Over that six-year period, only four qualified relievers in all of MLB posted a better swinging-strike rate than his mark of 17%: Josh Hader, Edwin Diaz, Koji Uehara and Aroldis Chapman. He ranked 15th among that same set of 331 relievers in terms of generating chases on pitches outside the strike zone (36.5%).
Whether Giles can regain that dominant form is an open question, but given what’s sure to be a low cost of acquisition, he’ll likely get an opportunity to do so with some club in a few weeks’ time.
Koji Uehara reference!
Giles will be punching himself till February.
Giles has good stuff.
Has or *had* good stuff?
This so feels like a Bloom move. Injury issues, high upside. Over 30.
I saw Bloom today. He was at the Hospital Ward, checking on Shortstops.
I mean every team should take a gander, not like you can have too much pitching.
This guy punched himself in the face waking off the mound.
He did. However, to be fair, he was on an absolutely terrible Phillies team with clueless coaching.
@Woods Rider,
I’ll admit your version of the story is edgier, but at the time of the self inflicted wallop, Ken Giles was pitching for a Houston Astros team that went on to win 103 games.
sports.yahoo.com/ken-giles-punched-face-giving-hom…
Dave Dombrowski is seemingly gobbling up available arms in his A+ offseason, so why not a reunion?
Giles should save some punches for the showcase in February.
This has Reds spring invite written all over it.
agree
I’m wondering if Giles’ showcase will include him punching himself in the face.
@JustaFan 2
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Mike Tyson
I kinda wonder what his plan is?
Best of luck to him, he likely needs some support and good luck
Oakland A’s freebie
Texas
Head Case !
Doesn’t it help closers to be head cases? 😉
Yeah but he’s a pretty severe headcase doing violence to his own person in a fit of anger. I guess it’s better than punching someone else but you have to wonder about his inner thought processes and if they are altogether sound.
@ISOB – You make it sound as if closers actually HAVE an “inner thought process”, much less a readily detectable one.
Jonathan Papelbon approves of your comment.
I’m not going to lie, every now and then for a good chuckle i will look up the video of Papelbon and Manny Delcarmen performing Milli Vanilli’s “Blame it on the Rain” during a rain delay at Fenway back in 2008
What happened to Papelbon?
Didn’t give up a single run last year. Obviously should get 6 figures. Cohen is still loaded since Correa limped back to Minnesota.
Nine figures minimum
No, the minimum is six figures. 😉
Eleven figures minimum
I’m tarded that’s what I meant 9 figs.
He’ll add some much needed punch to a team’s bullpen.
So would quite a few guys in MLB atm
Good one!
Ken Giles showcase? What, is he gonna show everyone his meatloaf recipe?
As a pretty good dad-chef who has won a couple of very minor chili cook-offs (with my now embarrassed daughter {now 16} ) and dabbles in meatloaf recipes, I’d give it a shot….
The excitement and well deserved adulation he received for working his way back quickly dissipated once he started pitching. He just looked so tired out there, man. Every single pitch was over-laborious. It was difficult to watch. It was like a mercy kill when they dfad him.
That’s said, he was still touching 96. Wishing him health and good luck, for sure.
I want the Fish to take a look at this guy. Low risk, potential high reward.
Yessir
But they never take fliers for some reason.
Dodgers will sign him and he’ll record 38 saves with a 1.88 ERA and sign an ill-fated three year $39 million with the Angels next winter.
Arte’s gift to the fans
Still only 32- yet stealing $$$ since 1967
There’s too many RP’s available right now for how many spots are open. When the balls were juiced in 2019, there were tons of guys going down with Tommy John surgery. The last 2 years have been easier on arms. 2017-19 it seemed like big league clubs couldn’t find enough pitching
White Sox needing some pitching depth right about now…
He can’t be worse then Drew Smith, Stephen Nogosek, Luchessi, or Bryce de Oca. Sign him Mets
Giants ?
This screams Texas Rangers. Two years, $16 million
Actually it screams:
“come back to Philly [and to this Caleb Cotham guy] to the place before you became a &%$#@’, sign a 1 year deal, find success and then move on”
If it goes well, does he advance to the showcase showdown?
I think Giles performance last year in the minors should be mentioned.
Yes it is a small sample size.
Really small enough to be insignificant, unless it was extreme one way or other.
In this case it was extremely bad. 19 IP with severe control problems.
Again not earth shattering data, but it is something I would want to know if it were me making a decision.
(It is the majority of his most recent work since 3 years ago. Plus a few scattered mlb innings with severe control problems)
Detroit maybe? I imagine Giles and AJ Hinch are real good buddies ever since Giles yelled “”F___ You” at Hinch for pulling him out of a game.
He should hang out more with his brother from another mother on the Guardians, Zach Pleasac…who at least punches the mound when he’s irritable instead of his own face.
He’s gone from being Ken “100 Miles” Giles to Ken “Open Trials” Giles. Sic transit Gloria.
From 2014 to 2015 Giles had a 1.82FIP and 11.7K/9…….then he went to Houston for three years and went 3-10 with a 3.57ERA…now he’s a free agent with a 2.21ERA in his last 61 innings pitched. He also has an enormous 38.8% K rate since 2019 and a clean .186 opponent batting average to go with it.
The real question is if he will blow a gasket, the guys a jerk, I have no respect for him as a person…but if you can pitch, then go for it
Ken, Hi. It’s your ole’ friend Chaim calling from Bora Bora, umm, uh, I mean Boston. Listen buddy, no need for that silly showcase. We’d love to have you here in Tampa North, Umm, ah, I mean Boston. How does 17 years, 865 million sound with an option for you every year, and, Oh, wait, Old Man Kennedy is here, hold on.
Yeah, Kenny Boy, I’m back. Had the numbers a little confused. They want me to offer you a one year deal where you can pitch 17 innings for 8.65 million. Listen Bud, you’ll be in Cancun on the “IL” (wink wink) by the end of April, and since they’re gonna fire me in May, I’ll join you. how’s that sound??