NOVEMBER 7: Texas has not been able to find a trade partner and will officially decline Holland’s option today, per MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter).
OCTOBER 31, 8:45pm: Texas has informed Holland that his option won’t be picked up — at least, not to play with the Rangers, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. It isn’t clear at this point what kinds of scenarios the Rangers are weighing with regard to the southpaw.
Holland could conceivably be moved for another veteran with a reasonably hefty salary or instead be cashed in for some prospect value. It’s also possible that Texas could contribute cash to boost the return. While there isn’t an immense amount of surplus value in Holland’s contract, interested rivals will surely be intrigued at the possibility of getting him for a one-year commitment with another available option year rather than possibly being forced to promise more to woo him via free agency.
7:11pm: The Rangers are willing to trade left-hander Derek Holland, over whom they hold an $11MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Heyman hears that Holland may have played his final game as a member of the Rangers, writing that they’d prefer to move him rather than keep him on the books. Furthermore, he tweets that a few teams are showing interest in Holland, and a trade would happen “soon” if it were to take place. The timing component of that followup isn’t much of a surprise, as teams have until five days after the conclusion of the World Series to decide on the options for their players, but it’s certainly notable that teams are expressing interest.
While Holland may not appear like a highly appealing trade candidate on the heels of a disappointing season, there are a few reasons to believe that clubs would be willing to take him on at $11MM next year. First and foremost, the free-agent market for starting pitching is a veritable wasteland this offseason, with the top names available including Rich Hill, Jeremy Hellickson and Ivan Nova. Sheer supply and demand should lead to interest in Holland, especially if the Rangers are willing to pick up a bit of the tab or to take on another fairly notable contract in return.
At 30 years old, Holland is still young enough to believe that there could be a rebound in his bottom-line results, which admittedly weren’t pretty in 2016. Holland had his healthiest season since 2013 this year — he’s missed time previously due to shoulder and knee injuries — but he pitched his way out of the rotation and ultimately finished the year with a 4.95 ERA in 107 1/3 innings. His average fastball velocity was 93.6 mph during a terrific 2013 season, but injuries and aging caused that mark to dip to 91.7 mph this past season. Accordingly, Holland’s K/9 rate has dipped from 8.0 to 5.6, and his ground-ball rate fell south of 40 percent this season as well.
None of that paints a very good picture, of course, but Holland’s unsightly ERA would be nearly a full run lower were it not for an 11-run drubbing that was handed out by the Blue Jays in Toronto back on May 5. He went on to post a 4.42 ERA from that point forth and at one point went through a stretch of 10 outings where he delivered seven quality starts and posted a 3.65 ERA. While the overall season was one to forget, there were glimpses of the pitcher that once looked to be developing into a Rangers rotation mainstay. It’s not uncommon for rebound candidates to get several million dollars in free agency anyway, and Holland’s contract comes with the upside of a club option for the 2018 season. If he’s able to rebound even to the point where he pitches like a solid fourth starter, Holland would prove to be a nice value with that extra year of club control.
The lack of quality hurlers on the market was one of the primary reasons that I recently examined a number of borderline club options for starting pitchers, including Holland, and opined that teams would be wise to exercise the options even if the ultimate outcome was that those arms would be traded. Based on Heyman’s report, it sounds like the Rangers could potentially move Holland even before that decision is due, and it’s certainly not out of the question that others such as Jaime Garcia and Clay Buchholz could find themselves in a similar boat. Certainly, teams with club options over borderline players are feeling out the trade market right now in similar fashion to the Rangers, as evidenced by Ken Rosenthal’s report from earlier today that the likes of Pat Neshek, Fernando Rodney and Carlos Ruiz are all available in trade talks.
This is a chance for the O’s to get rid of Gallardo or Jimenez. It would be a bad contract for bad contract trade. It makes sense for them to trade Gallardo because he was decent with Texas and the O’s could use another lefty pitcher in the rotation.
Even with Holland’s injuries, he still has more value than either Gallardo or Jimenez, especially with that club option. Both Gallardo and Jimenez were even worse than Holland in 2016, and Gallardo had shoulder injuries that sidelined him for awhile as well.
I don’t think Holland qualifies as a “bad contract” in the same way that either of those two pitchers does. He’s not teeming with positive value, but I don’t see how swapping him for one of those two makes them any better, and it doesn’t improve their payroll situation either.
I understand you talking from a fan perspective which is fine because this is a fan forum but don’t act like your a insider who knows more then the next person.
Hopefully your comment wasn’t directed at Steve, who was absolutely correct.
Holland hardly a bad contract at $11m. SP market is thin and he’s a left hander. Don’t follow TX closely but I doubt they’re interested in taking on a bad contract in trade for Holland.
I can see the Mariners getting involved.
Makes a bit of sense as to why Boston “might” pick up the Bucholz deal at 13.5m, tho wonder still why anybody would want either at half the amount either is owed. Holland was hit around all season, Bucholz the 1st 2 months before getting squared away in July and finishing the season strong. Habit of his.. never a decent full season. No chance would give a half season decent starter that much.
FWIW his fave parks in his career:
CLE: 1.23 ERA, 29.1 IP
BOS: 2.92 ERA, 24.2 IP
SEA: 3.09 ERA, 55.1 IP
OAK: 3.28 ERA, 68.2 IP
BAL: 3.60 ERA, 25.0 IP
It’s worth nothing
I wish I could upvote that, dmalsch
myaccount, for which comment was that?
I wish you’d quit trolling….
I wish you’d quit posting…
+1 to Rockhard
Sounds like a Pirates move. Very unlikely to resign Nova and could use a veteran in the rotation as well as a LHP. But what would he cost?
Except the bucs like ground ball pitchers.
Maybe a graveman – OF trade. Graveman is a pure ground ball pitcher
I say the Braves should pluck him away:
Rangers trade: Derek Holland and C Josh Morgan
Braves trade: Chris Ellis, Chris Withrow, and John Gant.
To me, it seems like a fair trade, since The Braves will be helping the Rangers clear Holland off the books, and they also would give the Rangers 1 #4-#5 starter, in Ellis, who will need some tuning up in AAA, but a pitcher with good fastball movement and average secondary offerings, 1 quality, reliable pen arm, in Withrow, and 1 more versatile starter/long relief man to help the Rangers in 2017 and beyond, in John Gant.
Personally, I wouldn’t be too fond of giving up on John Gant, because he definitely could be a successful #4 or #5 starter, but the Braves have a surplus of pitchers and he needs a chance to get some reps, without being tugged around from starting to AAA, and then moving to the bullpen, etc. Gant also has a very nasty change-up, that is an excellent strike out pitch when he has his fastball working and can pair the two pitches.
I also, do like the idea of receiving Morgan, and giving Holland a chance to resurrect his career as the Braves have been able to do with several arms they have brought into Atlanta..
Although, that was with McDowell, but this could be their new pitching coaches chance to make his mark!! The Braves have been rumored to wanting to add 2-3 starters, and I think Collmenter and Holland could help solidify their rotation, as long as guys like Wisler, Foltynewicz, Whalen, and/or Blair continue to make strides towards having and maintaining success at the ML level.
Yeah I like this offer. Obviously a capable lefty to wedge between Tehran and foltynewics. And a fair package of a couple canidates for the rangers rotation and/or bullpen in 2017.
I feel like the braves could find a better option elsewhere to compete for the #5 spot. They obviously already have a talented but inconsistant group of pitchers. I think it would be best for them to use their pitching surplus to boost the offense. A guy like holland needs to be in a pitcher friendly ballpark and the braves have no idea yet how theirs will play. It would suck for them to trade some decent talent for someone who could be blow up in their face. They have some power but I think a guy like Brett Gardner could be a good guy in Atlanta. Have him lead off with Swanson freeman and Kemp following would be a good start. Gant and sims would be a nice package going back. Yankees get 2 young controlable arms that aren’t the braves top prospects and the braves get a great deffender that can hit 15 homerun and be a good tablesetter for freeman and kemp
Dmalsch22, I’m trying to understand where you’d think the braves would play Gardner. He is an aging, more expensive, and somewhat declining left handed hitting outfielder. The Braves already have Kemp in left, Inciarte in center (hits lefty), and Markakis in right (hits lefty), as well as Mallex Smith off the bench (hits lefty). I just don’t see any fit for the Braves with Gardner at all.
That’s a horrible overpay for a perennially broken pitcher. The Rangers are moving him because they can;t trust him anymore not a salary dump, they have more than enough money but want to get something for him.
Morgan is just a duplication of the Braves depth at catcher in the lower minors.
Hursh and Whalen for Holland is a better deal.
I totally agree that that’s a bad deal for the braves with holland. The rangers just said they won’t pick up his option, why would any team trade for him then??? Wait till he becomes a free agent, sign him to a 1 yr 4-7 mil with a lot of incentive just incase he turns it around low risk high reward for any team
Braves need somebody to eat innings and Holland hasn’t done that the last 3 years. I’d take him as a 4-5 if Texas paid a couple million and took a small return just to get a lefty in the rotation. If they balked I’d look elsewhere.
That’s a terrible trade for the Braves. It only makes sense if 1) Holland was pitching like his younger self 2) Braves are competing for a Wild card.
For that package I rather wait to see what happens with Boston and Clay. The whole point in loading up on prospects during the overhaul wasn’t to start letting them go for for Holland. I’m sure Hart would entertain the deal for one of those mentioned + a lesser positional prospect but outside of that it would be a no go for the FO and the fan base as a whole.
Eh Id have to disagree, Id rather give gant a shot at next to nothing than pay 11mil to a injury prone holland. Braves FO is ready to compete and holland isnt the answer.
Why would the rangers tell him already? Know teams won’t cough up anything reasonable to get him, they’ll just wait until he’s a free agent in a couple days.
Read the article: why would a team want to wait for Holland to become a free agent and end up having to outbid another team to the tune of 5yrs/$100 mil or whatever when they can come to the Rangers now and say: pick up his option and we’ll trade you this guy we don’t really need for your outfield? Seems fair for a team to get Holland on a cheap deal and the Rangers get a component they need. But by all means, wait the Rangers out and hate the deal your team makes with Holland if he stinks up your park with a 8.75 ERA for 5 years.
lol, Holland is not getting 5 years or 100 mil.
Is that a joke?!!! If the rangers don’t think he’s worth 11 mil next year what in the world would make you think he’s worth 20/year for 5 years. I’ve read a lot of bad comments on this site but that may be the worst. The most he will get is 2 yrs at 10 mil a year at the most! If he could get 100 mil then strasburg should’ve waited and gotten 400 million haha would never happen
If you read his comment, it seemed pretty clear he was just throwing a high contract out there to symbolize that even guys who haven’t performed can still get paid a high dollar amount in free agency when teams start to bid on players. Especially in an unusually thin pitching market. I don’t think he, nor anyone, thinks holland will get 5/$100.
how about jaime garcia for holland lol
Holland may get 2/16 or 2/20, so trading for an $11 million contract would be foolish. Why would a team give up anything when he’ll be a cheaper AAV.
I think maybe he should try converting to a reliever.
Marlins
Dang, I hadn’t checked how bad he has really been since coming back from injury. His FIPs the last 2 years were 5.30 and 4.75, that’s “5th starter on a last place rotation” level.
It won’t stop him from getting $10M+, but he’s probably done as a big league SP.
He’s done as a big league SP yet he’ll get $10M+?
Good candidate to sign a short term contract to rebuild his value or a team like MIL to sign for 1 year in hopes he’ll be a commodity at the deadline next year.