Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson may have thrown his last pitch as a member of the Nationals. The pending free agent re-injured his right wrist during an at-bat Saturday, and he told reporters afterward that he won’t return this season (via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Saturday’s start was the first in a month for Hellickson, who had been on the shelf with a sprained wrist. Injuries notwithstanding, this will go down as a successful season for Hellickson after he had to settle for a minor league deal over the winter. The 31-year-old posted a 3.45 ERA/4.22 FIP with 6.41 K/9, 1.97 BB/9 and a 45.9 percent groundball rate in 91 1/3 innings.
- Like Hellickson, righty Clay Buchholz has been as an excellent value pickup in 2018. Arizona signed the longtime Boston hurler to a minors deal in early May, and he went on to throw 98 1/3 frames of 2.01 ERA/3.46 FIP ball as a Diamondback, also adding 7.41 K/9, 2.01 BB/9 and a 42.6 percent grounder rate. Buchholz’s season is now done, as he incurred a flexor mass strain in his right elbow, but his D-backs tenure shouldn’t necessarily be over, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Arizona has enough questions in its rotation that it should consider a reunion with the pending free agent, details Buchanan, who argues Buchholz’s elbow issue doesn’t look severe enough that it should scare off the team. Rather, as a result of the injury, the Diamondbacks may be able to re-sign the 34-year-old at a reduced price. Whether the D-backs are interested in bringing Buchholz back is unclear, but Buchanan notes that the player has “enjoyed” his run with the club.
- Angels southpaw Tyler Skaggs, out since Aug. 11 with a left adductor strain, plans to return to the majors this season, per Maria Guardado of MLB.com. If Skaggs’ bullpen session on Sunday goes well, he could take the ball for the Angels during the upcoming week, Guardado relays. The 27-year-old’s adductor has forced him to the disabled list three times this season and limited him to 116 2/3 innings. That’s a career-high total for Skaggs, though, and with a 3.78 ERA/3.38 FIP, 9.49 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9, and a 45.6 percent grounder rate over that span, he has offered encouraging results.
- Myriad injuries in their rotation could have stopped the Athletics from contending this season. Instead, thanks in part to scrapheap pickups Edwin Jackson, Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill, the A’s own one of the majors’ best records (90-59) and are now playoff shoo-ins. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com delves into how Oakland has succeeded, noting that its Matt Chapman-led defense leads the league in DRS (59) and has taken pressure off its pitchers. The staff – which has gone through 14 starters – has also gotten help from veteran catchers Jonathan Lucroy and Josh Phegley, pitching coach Scott Emerson and a stellar bullpen, as Crasnick explains in a piece that’s worth checking out.
Great A’s team! Billy Beane et are masters putting pieces together in order to be competitive. Congrats!
Yes because making wild card or ALDS for one or two years then tanking for 3 or 4 endlessly is a great way to run a team!
Well said. If we want to heap praise on B.B. for this year then what do we wish to do with the previous many years under his leadership?
Same thing can be said for Bosox and Yanks but of course many hold BB to a higher standard than those Gms. Or you can take the M’s or White sox and wait 10 years between playoffs.
arc… since BB became GM in 1998 the Sox have won 3 WS in 3 tries. The Yankees have won 4 in 6. So….
That was over 10 years ago. For NYY that was 17 years ago. My point is every team goes through rebuilds. Would be nice to see what BB could do with 3X the payroll he has now like the resox and yanks have. Don’t say money doesn’t have anything to do wit those world series wins. In the last 20 years only 1 team won without a high payroll.
Apple and Oranges. Get a clue..or as the yankees or sox would do, BUY a clue.
The Yankees have not won a title in 18 years.
Given the financial issues the team has had because MLB refuses to get involved in the geographical dispute with the Giants (which in large part I believe has prevented a move to another Bay area location), what other options did hr have? Of course his decision to suddenly trade Donaldson was bizarre but overall who could have done better? Teams like the A’s and Rays amaze me since there is not financial equality in MLB.
Dewey very well said!
1 thing i notice it is fans of high payroll teams that think its easy to win with a limited budget but they are the first fans complaining their team is not going after every high price free agent.
Exactly. They made the playoffs 12-14. He gave a WS his best shot when he made the deals for shark and Lester. It backfired in part because he did end up giving up his best hitter. But he has them back in 18 and the future looks bright. Hard to have too many complaints with the way he runs things. They can’t toe the luxury line like the other California teams.
Thanks JKB. I’m a lifelong Sox fan who went through suffering prior to 04. That said, I’d prefer a neutral playing field because it would make winning even sweeter. Look at the mid 60s and 70s. After the Mantle prime years, the Yankees and Sox mostly sucked (67 and 75 aside). Free agency in 76 had the Yankees signing Catfish Hunter. The Sox then signed in 77 Bill Campbell, the first free agent closer. Nothing has really changed. Of course the Dodgers today are in the same category as are a few other teams but is it really good for the sport? Basketball is even worse. I’ve always followed the Packers in the NFL who would have no chance of consistently competing if the rules were like tge other sports.
Clarification: Basketball has a cap but with rosters small, players manipulate the system to make super teams. Baseball is by far the worst big market v. small market situation with fans suffering. My bad for bringing basketball into the discussion.
“Tanking” the new cool word. They “tanked” for 4 years you say? You just sound envious
They didn’t tank for four years either. They missed the playoffs 15-17. That’s a quick turnaround for the playoffs. The M’s might not make the playoffs for 2 decades. Do you think the marlins, orioles, royals will turn their clubs around that fast? Even the chisox or padres have considered to be doing extremely well in their rebuilds certainly haven’t made their teams competitive in that time frame. Eventually he’s going to have win a championship to complete the resume but he’s done a bang up job.
Billy Beane is terrific
Hellickson and Buckholz each threw under 100 innings. Is that really an “excellent value pickup” for a starter?
Are you kidding? Most definitely
Yeah anytime you sign a guy to a minors deal and he gives you 90+ innings of 2 ERA ball that’s beyond excellent value. That’s literally value from nothing.
Agreed, dimitrios. The bar is awfully low for excellence. How about the fact he’s done for year when his team needs him? Odd point (habit) to ignore in discussing CB’s value.
The terminology he used in the article was “excellent value.” Hard to argue that ~100 innings of sub 3 or sub 4 ERA ball in the rotation is worth more than a couple million bucks. The cubs, orioles,mets, and jays paid far more than that to get less out of Andrew Cashner, Jaime Garcia, Jason Vargas, and Tyler Chatwood
Well it’s them or a minor leaguer who has a 5-6 era. Hellickson was the second or third most reliable starter for the Nationals for a good stretch this year
When you paid less than 3 million a piece for them I’d say so. Bucholz tossed 100 innings of 2 ERA ball. That’s what I’d call excellent value. Certainly better value than paying 8+ mil for a guy like Andrew Cashner or Jaime Garcia.
Since 1999 the A’s have been out of contention 7 times. None better in American League than New York, Boston, and Cleveland, (who benefits from playing in the lamest division). Yeah they never go that far in the playoffs, but they have done a great deal more than most teams, with a great deal less. Beane had a chance to bolt, chose to stay, and Oakland has done well for the most part. He’s not a guy to worship, but shouldn’t be looked down on either because Brad Pitt played him in a movie.
Buchholz is wildly inconsistent and injury prone. Yet, he’ll hit quality stretches every 2-3 years in his career that leave people thinking he’s something other than wildly inconsistent and injury prone. Frustrating player.
The new money ball is using your pitcher to injury and then resigning at a reduced rate.
Sarcasm*
1 thing i notice it is fans of high payroll teams that think its easy to win with a limited budget but they are the first fans complaining their team is not going after every high price free agent.
Nashville would be a great place for a baseball team.