The Reds announced that they’ve signed right-handed reliever Jared Hughes to a two-year contract with a club option for the 2020 season as well. Hughes, who was non-tendered by the division-rival Brewers earlier this month, is a client of SSG Baseball.
SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo reports that it’s a two-year, $4.5MM contract for Hughes, who will earn $2.125MM in both 2018 and 2019 (Twitter links). The club option is valued at $3MM and comes with a $250K buyout, per Cotillo, who also notes that Hughes can earn up to $750K worth of incentives based on appearances in each year of the contract (including the option year, if exercised). Hughes would take home $100K for reaching 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 games pitched, and he’ll earn $75K for reaching 55 and 60 appearances as well. For a reliever that has averaged 68 appearances per year over the past four seasons, those incentive packages are highly attainable.
Hughes, 32, has long posted solid run-prevention numbers in the NL Central, combining for 250 1/3 innings of 2.55 ERA ball across four seasons between the Pirates and Brewers from 2014-17. He’s also consistently shown a knack for inducing ground-balls (career 61.2 percent), but a lack of strikeouts has seemingly limited Hughes’ earning potential in recent years.
Hughes has averaged just 5.5 K/9 across the past four seasons and, in addition to being non-tendered by the Brewers, was released by the Pirates in Spring Training 2016. However, a fastball that averaged nearly 94 mph this past season and a healthy swinging-strike rate of 11.6 percent suggest that perhaps he can maintain the improved 7.2 K/9 clip he posted in ’17. Then again, the 2017 season also saw Hughes allow a career-worst 36.7 percent hard-contact rate, which contributed to a respectable but unspectacular .318 wOBA from opposing hitters (though that number was directly in line with expectations based on his batted-ball profile, per Statcast). Certainly, based on today’s contract, the Reds seem to place a higher value on Hughes’ skill set than their two division rivals that have cut Hughes loose over the past two years.
Raisel Iglesias is entrenched in the closer’s role in Cincinnati, but Hughes will join a setup corps that also included right-hander Michael Lorenzen and left-hander Wandy Peralta. Several of Cincinnati’s late-inning spots remain up for grabs, but Hughes seems likely to lock down one of those spots for the foreseeable future.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Glad to see Jared has signed a deal to pitch this year. Too bad Phillips is still not on the roster in Cinci. Would have been interesting considering Phillips accused Hughes of a racial slur back when he was with the Reds and Hughes was with the Pirates. Hughes denied it and the Pittsburgh media had some experts review the video of the incident and all of them said that what Phillips claimed what Hughes said was definitely not what came out of Jared’s mouth. Still will make an interesting story because of the past history.
On a related note: the Reds still need a backup INF capable of playing SS and 2B. Perhaps Phillips if he’d be willing to accept a bench role this time around?
Jared Hughes is a very under appreciated relief pitcher
Good sign for the Reds
When a guy posts four consecutive seasons of 3.03 or lower ERA ball despite less than ideal peripherals, he’s gotta be doing something else right. No reason for him to have been released and then non-tenderred in one calendar year.
When he was with the pirates he come on in a jam to get a ground ball double play and just blow up. Those runs aren’t attributed to him so that’s why it doesn’t show up in his ERA.
A solid signing. Hughes’ ground-ball tendencies fit well in Great American Ball Park.
Agreed. On another note, this is one boring offseason for free agency. Fortunately the trades have kept it worth paying attention to. But normally some of the big names would be off the board by now.
I’m waiting for someone to use the excuse that few free agents are signed between Christmas and New Years, and after New Years Day it will take all parties a while to get back in negotiation mode, and………blah, blah, blah. Most boring hot stove I’ve ever seen.
Not the most flattering photo
Googling him reveals he does not have a history of being very photogenic.
Good news for Jared is you don’t need to be a looker to be a good pitcher!
He’s a sinker-ball pitcher in a league that is raising the strike zone.
I know Hughes was non-tendered but I’m surprised he went so cheap considering the Astros instantly snatched up Hector Rondon for nearly $10 million (who, while significantly younger, has a shakier track record).
Finally a team-friendly contract signed by a reputable player!
Being a Reds’ fan, I sometimes get too carried away with the “potential” of the Reds’ young pitchers. This deal, I like. It is cheap with someone that shows he can pitch in the major leagues without utterly collapsing. Good job, Dick Williams.
2 straight years the Reds steal a decent player away from the Brewers
I don’t know if I would really say “stealing” considering the Brewers released them both. In the end he was a good pitcher for the Crew but Strearns sees him as an expendable arm and it probably won’t hurt them in the long run.
And now the Reds are in the process of signing Daniel Wright as well. Meanwhile in Baltimore, the O’s have yet to sign one pitcher – majors or minors – to fill their many needs. I assume that once the clearance rack is bare they’ll have to sign upper tier free agents?