Much of the heavy lifting has been done in free agency. But there are still a few major players, a host of solid veterans, and no shortage of intriguing reclamation projects left on the open market. Here, we’ll look at a few available hurlers who have previously established significant MLB ceilings and are only entering their age-30 or younger seasons … albeit with significant injury histories that have altered their career trajectories.
We’ll go youngest to oldest:
Edubray Ramos: The still-youthful hurler — he celebrated his 27th birthday just yesterday — endured a highly disappointing 2019 season, struggling through shoulder problems and ultimately throwing only 15 MLB innings. But he was quite effective in 2018 and could be an interesting bounceback candidate after getting some rest over the offseason (though he is pitching in Venezuelan winter ball).
Taijuan Walker: Walker worked back from multiple arm injuries, only to end up as a surprising non-tender from the Diamondbacks. It’s certainly notable that his own club wasn’t convinced, but that won’t stop others from reaching their own risk/benefit assessments. Walker threw 157 1/3 innings of 3.49 ERA ball in his last full season, 2017. In his brief return to the bigs in 2019, Walker was already exhibiting most of his prior velocity and spin rate, so there’s reason to hope the physical tools are still intact.
Aaron Sanchez: It has long been a rollercoaster for the other 27-year-old starter on this list. He has battled through with finger injuries, then showed flashes in 2019 before going down to shoulder surgery. That procedure made it inevitable that he’d be non-tendered by the Astros, but the talent that led the Houston organization to take a shot will surely still intrigue rival organizations.
Alex Wood: He was held up to open the 2019 season and struggled with the long ball when he finally did appear for the Reds, but the southpaw did make it back to the bump. He showed typical velocity, swinging-strike, and K/BB numbers in his seven-start stint to finish out the year. Wood has thrown 839 innings of 3.40 ERA ball in his career, with peripherals that largely match, so don’t sleep on his upside.
Arodys Vizcaino: Over 2017-18, Vizcaino threw 95 2/3 innings of 2.54 ERA ball. The Viz Kid way outperformed his peripherals in doing so, but has always had swing-and-miss stuff. It’s anyone’s guess how he’ll bounce back from shoulder surgery, and he was hardly a perfect pitcher beforehand, but Vizcaino remains an interesting player to watch.
Shelby Miller: Okay, so Miller is going to have to bounce waaaay back if he’s to return to effectiveness. Since the fateful trade that sent him from the Braves to the Diamondbacks after the 2015 season, he has thrown just 183 innings of 6.89 ERA ball. Miller fell far short of a comeback last year with the Rangers, but did show 95 mph heat and is still only 29 years of age.
Jerad Eickhoff: Quite effective through the first forty starts of his MLB career, Eickhoff took a step back in 2017 and then ran into an injury wall. He made it back to the mound for the ’19 campaign but was only good for a 5.71 ERA in 58 1/3 innings. Eickhoff will need to regain some arm speed and figure out how to adapt to a longball-lofting set of opposing hitters.
Danny Salazar: Thirty in January, Salazar remains an intriguing talent. He has exhibited plenty of strikeout ability and found no small amount of success in the majors, but hasn’t yet shown he can find his way back from health issues. It’s unclear as yet what course his career will take, but the upside is tremendous.
Tony Cingrani: Cingrani hasn’t pitched a full season since 2016 and didn’t throw a pitch in the Majors in 2019 due to shoulder surgery. But looking at what the 30-year-old lefty did in parts of two seasons after being traded from Cincinnati to Los Angeles is eye-opening. Cingrani faced 172 hitters as a Dodger and struck out 64 of them (37.2 percent) while walking only 12 (6.9 percent). His swinging-strike rate in L.A. topped 14 percent. Considering the left-handed relief market was thin to begin the offseason and is now largely devoid of proven options, he’s a sensible buy-low target.
Drew Smyly: In addition to being one of those guys who’s younger than you thought every time you look, Smyly was also probably better at his peak than many fully realized. Times have been tougher of late, as he missed all of the ’17 and ’18 seasons and had a brutal run to open the 2019 campaign with the Rangers. But he finished on a better streak with the Phillies after fiddling with his pitch mix, posting a 4.45 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in a dozen starts. The velo and swinging-strike numbers are right back where they used to be. Smyly is a sneaky interesting target.
ib6ub9
Maybe the Diamondbacks will sign Miller to 5 years $175,000,000
Pingleja
deferring 170M of it
The Human Toilet
Tony Larusa is begging Artie Moreno that Miller is a steal at that price
Vizionaire
ian kinsler will bring your father to your house on christmas.
Sk8rboi
Bad teams that are rebuilding or teams with SP needs should be bouncing on all of these guys. Most of them will try to pitch as a 5th starter for a contender but a team like the Angels should pick up 3 or 4 of them.
the kutch
You’d think a bad / rebuilding team would sign them, hope they get hot and flip them for prospects…
ColossusOfClout
Good work on the list, Steve and Jeff. Got some nice names on it, guys who really have pitched well at times. Be interesting to see where they end up in 2020.
krinks 2
The Pirates still won’t.
piratesanddbacksfan
would like to see Pirates sign 2 0f the following 3 Tiijuan Walker ,Alex Wood or worst case Alex Sanchez —- Walker 1 yr $7. 5 mill + incentives ( option for 2nd) Alex Wood 2 yr & option@ $ 28M
Mendoza Line 215
I can see Walker and Wood but not at those $ #’s.
bravesfan
I’d take a risk on a lot of those guys. Especially if I was a rebuilding team. The O’s could pretty much rebuild their pitching staff with these cats.
i like al conin
Good point.
bapthemailman
So could the Pirates
Mendoza Line 215
Pirates staff will be OK if they return to former levels.
They still need one or two of these pitchers for depth and in the hope that they can rebound.Hopefully if they get two one of them can do so.
13Morgs13
Sanchez has a lot of talent, but issues seems to be between the “ears”. He still has time to figure it out
MLBTRS
Ears…and delicate fingers.
towinagain
Padres sign Alex Wood.
TheMick7
I don’t know why, it is certainly not the stat projections, but I feel like Alex Wood is a very good signing for a team. I think he’s the best out of these bounce-back candidates to actually bounce back. Again, pure conjecture, stats say differently.
bringbackthebluee
I want Taijuan Walker in the bullpen.
Col_chestbridge
Salazar will need a Scott Kazmir like resurrection at this point. His selling point was that he threw up to 98, and his only start last year he struggled to reach 88. He was sitting 91/92 in minor league rehab. If the Indians could not get anything out of him I don’t know any teams that would.
It’s been 2+ years since he was in any way reliable. He already had TJS once, and he’s had a variety of shoulder injuries as part of those issues. Whatever path he might have open to him, he will have a long way to go and it will not be easy.
basquiat
Good assessment. There is also his attitude. He’s not the most disciplined athlete, and I’m being kind.
Col_chestbridge
I dont think I can blame him on attitude. I cannot imagine being one of the best pitchers on the planet and then your shoulder basically just gives out and he cant hit 90 comfortably anymore. I can imagine that being frustrating. He started and stopped like 6 times, not like he didnt try to get back
Johhos
Phillies should look back to Smyly , but Wood, Walker and Vizcaino intriguing on the cheap also..
DarkSide830
Wood Walker and Smyly were the three I was hoping they’d look into. need another SP and theyll be steals if healthy.
Phiilies2020
Agree. Like Wood a lot and we need at least one lefty in the rotation I think. Wade Miley just got 2/15mil so if imagine Wood wants at least 6-8mil on a 1 year deal or 2/12 on a 2 year deal. He’s worth a shot and if he costs under 6.5mil, the Phils will avoid the luxury tax threshold. I was kinda surprised the non-tendered Edubray. He looked good in middle relief in 2018.
Did you guys read the Pivetta article in the Inquirer? He wants to start. I think they should stretch him out in the spring and let him compete with Eflin and De los Santos for the #5 spot but ultimately I think he’d be an asset as a swingman. VV should be the Closer. There’s little doubt in my mind he’d be a bad ass closer. Hes got that closer’s mentality and averages 18 pitches per inning. If he wants to come out and blow guys away and not pitch to contact, let him do it in the closer’s role.
the kutch
Smyly was actually decent for the Phillies…I think he figures out the rest next season and is going to make some GM look smart…
throwinched10
5 years ago this rotation would have been considered lethal or at least had the potential to be lethal…
Sanchez, Walker, Wood, Salazar, Smyly, Miller
throwinched10
Now they are all considered bounce back candidates
DarkSide830
5 years ago Sanchez had no majors starting experience.
throwinched10
I more so meant the potential that they represented as prospects or Young major leaguers.
dynamite drop in monty
Windom Earle has vanished.
jsmoltz29
I would absolutely love to see Wood with a tomahawk on his chest again
DarkSide830
Klentak should be looking at all these guys.
PhanaticDuck26
Almost every team needs pitching depth, and the Phils are no different. Would love for them to give Wood and/or Walker a chance. There’s always #4-#5 guy in the rotation that ends up pitching like a #2; guys like Anibal Sanchez and Mike Minor come to mind from recent years. I’d still hang on to Pivetta to see if he can unlock the talent he is capable of, but VV and his straight fastball should move on.
Mendoza Line 215
They should have put VV in the bullpen two years ago where he could be a workhorse.
TickleMyElmo
The Cardinals bailed on Miller at the right time. It’s a shame as the kid showed a ton of potential. I really though him and Wacha was our future but eh, couple decent seasons. Miller had one spectacular start in Colorado that comes to mind (1 hitter – first batter of the game) but that’s it.
DarkSide830
incorrect; they bailed a year early
TickleMyElmo
Cardinals staff was better than his 2015 season except wacha, who’s line was nothing to laugh at.
Trade value – Heyward was ok. Walden not so much.
timzap2000
I agree with you but I would still love for us to sign Miller to a minor league contract.
Jumanji
The Giants will probably sign Danny Salazar. They always get their man- when he’s old and no good anymore ! I recall a rumor on here back in 2013 that Cleveland was asking about the availability of Javier Lopez. The article said the Giants wanted Salazar in return. Ridiculous demand at the time !
snotrocket
Giants should be in on all of these guys. Grab 1 or 2 and see what happens.
Rosstradamus
Come Back to Seattle Tai….Drew….and Arodys….LOL! Seriously tho, Seattle should be a spot Pitchers looking to bounce back should covet! Pitchers park/weather and not alot of pressure to win this season, plus a good chance at making the rotation(or set-up/closer role for Arodys)
Nuke LaLoosh
Agreed. M’s should be all over most of these guys.
compassrose
There was a report Seattle was looking at Walker. I wonder how he would feel about coming back. Some of these younger guys get upset when they are traded. I didn’t hear anything from him but who knows.
jbeerj
Maybe Walker. The rest is trash.
HalosHeavenJJ
Let’s get Salazar back with Callaway, who really helped him.
Minor league deal, early camp, and hope for health.
rxbrgr
Yikes! Be careful in Venezuela Edubray
1738hotlinebling
They should all sign with the Rays
bobtillman
I can’t believe Bartollo Colon went unmentioned in this article.
BIX SEXY FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!
joepanikatthedisco
I’d love to see Jimmy Nelson find his old form
stubby66
Absolutely I think he is going to have a nice year. Also what about Matt Moore
Jeff Todd
So these guys are actually going into their age-31 seasons and I was looking to draw a line somewhere. But I just double-checked and Moore is actually a smidge younger than Smyly. I had Smyly in there b/c we had his upcoming season-age listed incorrectly in our FA list. Fixed that. As for this post … oh well, he sneaks in. If I had to pick one of the 3, it’d certainly be him just since he was by far the healthiest.
Anyway, good call on both Moore and Nelson.
bigdaddyt
Jays should literally be trying to sign everyone on this list other than miller
bighiggy
Like to see the cards resign cingrani, would be good in the pen.
tsc32
Walker and Vizcaino in the Rangers bullpen would be nice.
LR Taijuan Walker
RP Brett Martin
RP Luke Farrell
RP Jeffrey Springs
RP Nick Goody
RP Joely Rodriguez
SU Rafael Montero
CL Jose Leclerc
Decent bullpen right there.
tsc32
Talked about Vizcaino and then didn’t even put him in. Replace Martin with Vizcaino.
shanedelreal12
I dont think the A’s need starters, but if any of these guy want to build some value, Oakland is usually good with projects.
Dorothy_Mantooth
I would love to see the Red Sox take a flyer on one to two of these guys. The ones that stand out are:
1) Walker
2) Wood
3) Salazar
4) The Viz Kid
I think Salazar might be the best fit for them, given his extensive experience and success in the AL. Not sure what his injury issues are right now but he would certainly provide some major upside to the Sox rotation.
Pops
Here’s hoping the Orioles sign Cingrani, Wood, and Walker.