The Mets announced today that they have placed right-hander Shaun Marcum on unconditional release waivers after it was confirmed that he is unlikely to pitch again this season (Twitter links).
Marcum, 31, pitched to a 5.29 ERA in 78 1/3 innings with 6.9 K/9, 2.4 K/9 and a 34.9 percent ground-ball rate for the Mets. He signed a one-year, $4MM contract with the Mets this offseason that contained an additional $4MM worth of incentives. Though his ERA was unsightly, Marcum's 3.63 FIP suggests that he pitched more effectively than his ERA suggested.
Injuries have long plagued Marcum, who has topped 200 innings just once in his career. When he's on the field, however, he's typically been very effective. In 995 career innings, Marcum has a 3.88 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 despite featuring a fastball that has averaged less than 88 mph dating back to 2007. Marcum underwent surgery on July 15 that likely ended his season.
As ESPN's Adam Rubin points out, via Twitter, the Mets will save at least $1MM by opting to release Marcum, due to the roster bonuses in Marcum's contract with the Mets.
