The Diamondbacks have declined their side of a mutual option with veteran right-hander Mark Melancon, per a report from Steve Gilbert of MLB.com this morning. The option was valued at $5MM, but the Diamondbacks will instead opt to pay Melancon a $2MM buyout on the option. The decision hardly comes as a surprise, both because mutual options are very rarely picked up and also because the 38-year-old righty did not pitch in 2023 due to a shoulder strain.
This was Melancon’s second season in Arizona, as the veteran righty initially signed with the club on a two-year, $14MM deal prior to the 2022 season on the heels of a resurgent 2021 campaign that saw him post a 2.23 ERA in 64 2/3 innings of work while leading the majors with 39 saves as the primary closer in San Diego. Melancon figured to fill the closer role for Arizona in 2022, but struggled to find his footing with the club, ultimately posting a 4.66 ERA (13% below average by measure of ERA+) and 4.20 FIP with 18 saves as the club lost 88 games.
Perhaps even more concerning than the downturn in results was Melancon’s plummeting strikeout rate. While Melancon was never much of a strikeout artist throughout his career, posting strikeout rates above 25% just twice in his career, his 22.3% strikeout rate in 2021 was an almost perfect reflection of his 22.2% strikeout rate in his career to that point. Melancon’s punch outs plummeted in 2022, however, as he struck out just 14.2% of batters faced during his age-37 season, the lowest mark of his career outside of a 13-game cup of coffee he received with the Yankees as a rookie in 2009.
On the heels of a down season in 2022 and a lost season in 2023, it’s fair to wonder what’s next for Melancon. The veteran righty has had one of the strongest relief careers of his generation, with a career ERA of just 2.94 and 262 saves in 732 career games. At the same time, he’ll turn 39 on Opening Day 2024 and last pitched effectively when he was 36 years old. Given the constant need for bullpen depth around the majors, it seems likely that Melancon will be able to find a job this offseason should he wish to continue his career, but it seems likely he’ll be relegated to minor league deals given his lack of recent track record and uncertain health situation.
As for the Diamondbacks, the club has a fairly solid bullpen nucleus ahead of the 2024 campaign, with closer Paul Sewald backed up by the likes of Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, and Andrew Saalfrank. That being said, it’s certainly feasible the club could look to bolster its bullpen depth given their 4.22 bullpen ERA in 2022, which ranked just 18th in the majors last year. Plenty of right-handed relievers figure to be available this season if Arizona is interested in replacing Melancon on the depth chart, with the likes of Jordan Hicks and Reynaldo Lopez chief among them.
Could be the end of the line for Mark. Solidified himself as one of the best relievers in Pirates history in the 3.6 seasons he spent in Black and Gold.
Yes he was great there and kind of irked me a little bit when I saw it. He was with the Red Sox previously and couldn’t get it together so then he leaves and pitches well.
I think Sox fans have seen that more often than with other teams, though it does happen to most, and I’m biased for sure.
Signing free agent pitching has to be the biggest Gamble in the history of the universe. Even position players to a certain extent but wow you write the check and you cross your fingers lol.
How many times have we seen relievers get the nice contract and then stumble the entirety of the deal?
He ain’t gonna get a ring is he?
Actually nobody on the DBacks gets a ring, they lost.
Players and coaches will receive a National League Champions ring. Sad trombone.
Zeus, I’ve got 11 of those in my top dresser drawer at home. Soon as the players get them they sell them on eBay for like $900.
I saved up the money by selling my homing pigeon 32 times using eBay myself.
That’s pretty funny
Melancon has 262 saves and 454 games finished. Had to check to make sure but I knew he didn’t have that many saves haha.
His 51 with the Pirates in 2015 is a franchise record.
padres minor league deal with ST invite and an opt out for him if not on MLB team.
No harm to check it out. I think he still has contacts or may even still live there.
Makes sense, they’ll need a lot of those.
Melancon can retire knowing Giants are paying an easy $1m per year for awhile.
No surprise here, he was not going to make it after the 2022 season. He might have made the team in 2023 only to be used as trade material mid 2023 trade deadline.
Thank you.