Rays right-hander Chris Archer is drawing widespread interest early in the Winter Meetings, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The Braves, Brewers, Twins, Cardinals and Cubs are some of the teams eyeing Archer, according to Topkin.
Given that Archer’s one of the most valuable trade chips in the game, his popularity around the majors isn’t a surprise. He’d surely bring back a significant haul in a deal, thereby helping the Rays improve an already strong farm system, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be among the veterans the payroll-cutting club parts with this offseason. If the long-struggling Rays opt for a rebuild, which they may have to strongly consider in the wake of the division-rival Yankees’ acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton, it could indeed bring about the end of the 29-year-old Archer’s tenure in Tampa Bay.
Archer has been with the Rays since they acquired him from the Cubs – who, as mentioned, seem to want him back – in a 2011 trade centering on righty Matt Garza. He turned into a front-line starter in 2013, his first full major league season, and has pitched to a 3.63 ERA/3.46 FIP combination with 9.72 K/9 against 2.94 BB/9 in 967 career innings. Archer’s a workhorse, too, having made no fewer than 32 starts four years in a row.
Archer’s now fresh off his third straight 200-inning season, in which he racked up 201 frames with an ERA (4.07) that doesn’t do justice to his performance. After all, the flamethrowing Archer finished behind only Chris Sale, Robbie Ray and the reigning Cy Young winners – Max Scherzer and Corey Kluber – in K/9 (11.15). He also walked a respectable 2.69 batters per nine and placed seventh among starters in swinging-strike rate (13.4 percent).
Archer’s track record on the mound is clearly enticing, and the fact that his contract is among the league’s most team-friendly pacts significantly adds to his value. He’s controllable for the next four years for $34MM, including club options for 2020 and ’21. If the Rays do make an earnest bid to move him, then, it’s likely to spark a bidding war.
Crazy how hyped up Archer’s name is for being slightly above average.. pitching coaches will drool over his skill set and dream of turning his 3.7 era into a 2.7, and be disappointed when they look away and he turns into Edwin Jackson
What is even crazier is you thinking he would be a candidate to turn into Jackson.
I do not believe he is an ace, but to make that comparison is silly.
If he was a FA I would be all for picking him up, but I don’t want to give up what they will ask for him.
Yes, his ERA is a bit misleading, but he has other numbers that indicate he is most likely somewhere in the middle of his great and sub par years.
Absolutely agree with wrigleywannabe. Crazy someone would even say that shot this guy. The talent is there. Would love for the Dodgers to get this guy. Put him with Honeycutt and in that ballpark pithcing in a winning environment with competitors like Hill and Kershaw and I guarantee you he has way better numbers than he has in the past. Might not be a number one but he’s a solid number 2 for sure.
As someone who watches pretty much every start Archer makes, I can almost guarantee a team that trades for him will be greatly disappointed. His stuff is no doubt good, but he’s a head case and he makes way too many mistakes with his slider. He’s worked under Jim Hickey, who by all accounts, is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. Yet he underperforms year after year. No doubt a move to the NL and out of the AL East would make his numbers look a whole lot better, but he’s still a mediocre pitcher when you look at the total package. How else do you explain the repeated years of losing records and mediocre ERAs. You could blame the Rays, but Alex Cobb has found his way to a winning record with much less impressive stuff. Bad luck can explain a year of disappointing results, but year after year?
I don’t actually think he’s Edwin Jackson “lite”, just the first player who came to mind where talent doesn’t match results
He’s treated like an ace when hes at best a quality 2.
Depends on the team
He could slot in as a 1/2 or 3
3 on a stacked team like the doyuers
2 on someone like the giants
And 1 for someone like the padres
Being the number one pitcher in a rotation does not make you an ace !
Stupid comment. Edwin Jackson comparison is a joke. I’m a huge rays fan and actually prefer Cobb over Archer but his K/9 fool people. He also had bad luck. He’s no ace I don’t believe but he is #2 at worst. Innings eater. Deserves a haul back for sure.
Depending on how you view sabermetrics Archer is at worst a 2-3 typer pitcher and a possible ace in the making. His advanced statistics show that he should have a much lower ERA than he actually did, for one thing he had a BABIP (Batting average of balls in play) of .325 last year which means he was incredibly unlucky in that regards, if you put him on team like the Twins who have an outstanding outfield and above average infield defensively he would probably have had an ERA around 3 or so. This is what GM’s are going to see since you can’t compare Archer playing in the AL East to a guy playing in the AL Central stat for stat.
But he underperforms his peripherals on an annual basis. Not saying he’s bad pitcher, but his reputation is a lot better than his reality. Just does too many little things wrong to take that next step IMO.
Rays have no reason to trade Archer. Rays are closer playoffs than a rebuild.
no
Not with the losses of Cobb and Morrison
Honeywell coming up, Snell progressing. Cobb is a nice piece not a franchise direction changer though.
Not in the AL east they aren’t.
????? What Rays team were you watching in 2017? Talk here in Tampa is that they are very close to blowing it all up and trading every veteran they can get a decent return on. With the moves Boston and New York are making, the Rays almost have no choice but to follow in the footsteps of the Cubs and Astros.
Am I the only one who thinks Archer is drastically overrated?? His last 2 seasons saw him post an ERA over 4 in a pitchers park. I feel like all of his hype comes from the fact that he K’s a ton of guys. Don’t get me wrong, he would be a very reliable contributer to any rotation but he’s no ace IMO. If I were any other team I wouldn’t sell the farm to pick him up, even with his team friendly contract.
I agree he is overrated. Some of the trade proposals I’ve seen are ridiculous. Quintana was traded for a few decent prospects and people are asking for major league talent for this guy? Nah i’ll pass
Eloy Jimenez is more than a “decent” prospect.
I was following until I read “Pitchers Ballpark”
watching Rays games on mlb at bat app reminds me of games I had in my living room with a sponge like ball and toy bat when I was a kid. certain parts of the ceiling were homers, certain parts weren’t.
In the gym in elementary school it was the different colored paint on the wall.
I’ve never understood why people like this guy so much either. I really don’t understand why people act like he has the best slider in the game. Between heat and an ‘elite’ slider that era shouldn’t be over 4.
Half the time his slider is elite. The other half it gets pounded. 🙂
He could be number one in national league
Odorizzi had a better WHIP and AG Against. Cobb had a better WHIP, Snell had a better Average Against.
He was just a hair below 6 inning per start, so the 200 innings is a bit misleading, although he has been on the plus side of six the two years before last.
His Whip, ERA, Hits per 9, Avg Againstm SLg, OBP and OPS have all gone up two years in a row.
That can’t all be attributed to a spike in BABIP from last year. His 2014 and 2015 BAIBP had only a .003 difference and that is when the increase in the other numbers started.
He would not be a 1 in the NL. The DH does not make that big of a difference.
He is solid. He hasn’t had the best defense behind him the last two years. FIP and such show that.
He probably winds up some where in the middle of then 3.33 and 4.07 good/down year splits.
That is solid, but not ace level and not worth what it will probably cost to get him.
That would have an almost immeasurable effect. Try again.
Rays should just go into an all-out rebuild and have a team stacked to the brim with young superstars in a few years
They don’t need a rebuild
Just because he’s not a top 10 starter doesn’t mean he’s not an extremely valuable trade piece. All teams would benefit from having him in their rotation.
Flaherty, Gomber, Bader, Alcantara, would that be enough to get Colome and Archer? To much to little?
Probably enough for archer but nor both. Want this package so bad for the cards though. Taking all of Longo’s salary would help. Cards could still add through free agency for martinez (meh) but that adds about 8 wins to their lineup and pitching. Also obviously for all three some more names need to get thrown in.
1 top 50, 1 top 100, and 2 approaching top 100, I’d be hesitant to add a whole lot more. Maybe Arozarena would be enough as a close to 100 player.
Better yet, add Wacha and take back Arozarena. You also could swap Alcantara with Sierra as MLB.com has Sierra slightly higher, so they don’t deplete all their close pitching. So 1 MLB ready, 1 top 50, 1 top 100, and 2 nearly top 100. Sounds like enough to me.
He has over 200 inning stuff. His ERA is a little over 4.00. if they cut his innings down and put him in a winning team give him a league other than the A.L East. He will improve. Edwin Jackson…c’mon guy…Not comparable
For some ungodly reason baseball has a soft soft for this slighty better than league average pitcher. He is in his prime and had not 1 but 2 years of over a 4 era….Amazing to hear the media split hairs on how darvish and arrieta both pitched this passed year both posting much better numbers. The only asset he has in his favor is being paid roughly what he’s worth a glorified #4.
He isn’t an ace but he would be a great fit on any contending team. You would just have to be ready to empty the farm for this guy unless you assist the rays in unloading bad salary and whatnot
No need to trade archer as his value will be much higher at the deadline next two years and he is a cheap quality 200 inn guy. The Rays don’t like bringing up rookies til mid season anyway to add one more yr of control.
Longo, miller and odorizzi are as good as gone.
Not giving Longo a 10-5 option no trade clause after what just happened to marlins with that Giancarlo hostage situation causing them to get ripped off. Miller has no glove and odo well is the annual younger pitcher move. Rays do have 3 live arms in AAA that are ready as always
Bullpen and righty power hitter are the biggest need specially after Longo is traded
Maybe even Colome too
What do u mean not GIVING Longo a 10/5 option? That’s not given, it’s earned by being in the majors 10 years
and on the same team for 5 years. So I think you might be confused.
I think they mean they should trade him before he earns his 10/5 so he can’t dictate the terms.
All I know of Chris Archer
Stuff of a 1
Results of a 3
Works out at 5a
Terrified of mascots & line drives
He has ace stuff but his mental game is not there but he has expressed frustration with management over and over for not going for it. Anyhow he needs a stern coach to drive him but regardless 200 inn with 200k’s at 8mm for 4 years is dirty cheap today
The trade that makes the most sense going after brewers LF Santana power righty
Once Longo is traded Souza will be only RH bat in middle of line up and lefties always kill rays.
Where did all the power righties go? Becoming a hard position to fill
You forgot long term team friendly contract of a 5 while getting the results of a 3.
The Cubs have nothing to offer for him
They’ll tell you Schwarber is enough to get just about anyone by himself.
Rays trying to get Sale return for Archer when he’s worth more of a Quintana return. Any team that gets Archer will end up overpaying. Any team trying to get a Archer & Colome combo deal will probably take 4-5 prospects, of those at least 2 top 50 or higher. You’re trading for Archer & his incredibly cheap contract compared to what’s being handed out these days.
I think he’s a little more than Quintana he has power stuff which is always more valuable especially for postseason teams.
Lol EVERY team is eyeing Archer, it’s one thing to eye him, it’s another to actually pursue him.
That’s what I tell my wife.
careful.. your co-workers might call u a sexual deviant and get u suspended
Because he gets you 200+ innings a year, has decent stuff, has great attitude and is good teammate I see More Comparisons being James Shields (When he was with Tampa) (Teams think Trading for Ace when trufully getting good 2) (Ala last Year Sonny Gray)
Hou/LAD/SF/STL/BOS would be best Fits (teams with An Ace all ready
STL would be a perfect fit for him, they could trade some of the young pitching the rays would want plus a bat.
The key is he only cost 9.5 mil a year for 4 years. Darvish could command 25-30 mil for 6 Arrieta 25 for 5-6 . Cobb and Lynn both Tommy John twins 17-20 mil for 4-5 years. So you could have archer,reed and Wade Davis for not much more than darvish.The contract is what has gm’s drooling. Compared to Zimmerman , Hughes, Kazmir , even what Chatwood received.
Finally some one gets it.
Archer to Atlanta for Teheran, Kemp (and $10M/2) and any 2017 draft pick except Kyle Wright or Drew Waters.
Teheran is meh, and the Rays aren’t going to take on any bad contracts.
Teheran is young (27?), good contract, and will benefit from a change and love Tampa Bay stadium and environs. He’s a lock for TB’s #2 or 3 for years, a solid starter who TB fans will come to love like Archer, maybe even more. Kemp will also benefit from the move and become very productive as a DH who drives in 100 runs for at least the two years remaining on this contract, maybe more.. Braves will probably be flexible on selection of the prospect… try them!
The only entity that wouldn’t benefit is the Rays, but then, you’re a Braves honk.
Teheran was a 95 ERA plus pitcher last year, who makes more than Archer and has less years of control. Pass.
So you pass on Teheran. Who would you take, with Kemp, millions, and a young prospect? (Yeah, we would really like to get Archer.)