The Rangers are re-signing Ian Kennedy, the veteran reliever announced on Instagram this afternoon. Presumably, it’ll be a minor league deal for the Boras Corporation client.
Kennedy spent the first half of the 2021 season in Arlington. Those months were among the best of his past four seasons as a full-time reliever. After cracking the MLB roster following an offseason minors deal, Kennedy quickly pitched his way into the closer’s role. He saved 16 games through 32 appearances while posting a 2.51 ERA over 32 1/3 frames. At that summer’s deadline, the then-rebuilding Texas club packaged Kennedy with veteran starter Kyle Gibson to Philadelphia for righty Spencer Howard.
The 16-year MLB veteran fanned almost 27% of opponents with the Phils but surrendered a staggering seven homers in 24 innings. In spite of the poor finish, Kennedy landed a $4.75MM guarantee from the Diamondbacks last winter. He made 57 appearances during his second stint in the desert but struggled. Kennedy managed only a 5.36 ERA over 50 1/3 innings. He continued to battle the longball, allowing nearly two home runs per nine innings, while his strikeout percentage plummeted to a 19% clip. At season’s end, the D-Backs made the fairly easy call to buy out a mutual option on his services for 2023.
Kennedy carries a 4.30 ERA in 190 appearances since making his bullpen conversion during the 2019 campaign. He’s shown the ability to miss bats at an above-average rate while throwing a decent number of strikes at his best. The 38-year-old will look to recapture some of his early-2021 success in a second crack as a Ranger.
The Royals signing him in 2016 (thus giving up a draft pick), has to one of the more bad moves of all time.
I suspect the same will eventually be said about some of the mega deals given this winter.
Martin Perez and Nathan Evoldi perhaps
Degrom to Rangers also comes to mind
Yeah, that was a strange contract. It’s not even like Madbum where he was an otherwise very good pitcher who just underperformed. He was already a mediocre at best pitcher who would need to handily outperform his track record (outside his excellent 2011) to even be close to being worth the 5/$70mm they gave him.
And even more so since it was late in the offseason and there had been no other apparent bidders. Leave it to Dayton Moore to not only overpay in dollars but in years too.
I’m afraid Kennedy is closer to being all done vs. a resurgence out of him, but if it is indeed a minor league deal, it doesn’t hurt to give him one more shot so long as he doesn’t take up a 40-man roster spot initially.
Worked out pretty well the first time around. Guess it doesn’t hurt to try again
Wow! It looks like they actually do read the contact us section!
I mean, we’re not re-signing him per se.
Some troll accused me of being you on the Cole Irvin thread. @Rangers29
Heh
I recognize you from LSB. These fools think I am stupid. Me >>> most guys on here. As for age, I’m maybe 5 years older. I hate psuedo-intellectuals. I attended JHU and most of these guys probably dropped out of middle school. Intellect is one area that really annoys me. Btw, I was Joeygallohrking until I left with the Chapman stuff. You may remember me.
“I am very smart”
-deGrom Texas Ranger (an idiot)
Well I’m a self-made billionaire. I only inherited $999M from my parents.
When I went to college I couldn’t even spell graduate and now I are one. deGrom and me be the smartest people here..just ask us.
I saw Ian Kennedy pitch a lot last year, he was really bad based on the eye test. Really bad.
The eye test is always the best. Stats boys don’t realize that.
He came up with Phil Hughes and Joba. They both probably had a higher upside, but have been out of the league forever.
Along with the Killer B’s – Betances, Brackman, and Banuelos. I believe ManBan is pitching in Mexico.
At least he got to pitch for the Yankees finally last year, was a nice feel good story.