The Diamondbacks have agreed to a deal with free-agent reliever Tyler Clippard, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The right-hander, a client of Excel Sports Management, will earn a guaranteed $2.25MM. There’s a $3.5MM mutual option or a $500K buyout for 2022.
This will be the second stint in the desert for Clippard, who was a member of the Diamondbacks in 2016. The 36-year-old has also appeared in the majors with nine other organizations during what has been a successful career. Long a durable late-game option, Clippard has overcome a paltry 28.1 percent groundball rate to log a 3.13 ERA/3.47 SIERA with an above-average strikeout rate (27.1) across 842 innings since his 2007 debut.
Although he only averaged 89.2 mph on his fastball in Minnesota last year, Clippard continued to record impressive production. He put up a 2.77 ERA/3.52 SIERA in 26 frames, owing largely to terrific strikeout and walk numbers. He fanned hitters at a 26.5 percent rate and walked hitters just 4.1 percent of the time – a career-best figure. Clippard also fared better than most in a large number of Statcast categories.
The Diamondbacks have been mostly quiet since their disappointing 2020 season ended, but they have made a few notable additions to their roster this month. Before agreeing to terms with Clippard, they signed fellow veterans Joakim Soria and Asdrubal Cabrera. Clippard and Soria figure to be important parts of a bullpen that finished a subpar 18th in ERA (4.60) a year ago.
It the D’Backs thought they had problems b4 just wait till Clippard gets there. Ahahahaha?
We already know…
Fire starter.
Been effective for a long time.
Affectively bad
Clippard has silently been extremely effective the last two seasons. I know they don’t use WHIP, but a .864 mark is still really impressive. He induces a whole lot of soft contact and still gets a notable amount of swing and misses.
Flyball pitcher.
Gotta have the right park for him. His entire career he’s only had two stretches when he wasn’t above average to All Star caliber: with the Yanks & with the Astros.
He has a really deep pitch mix for a reliever. I think he can raise a lot of teams middle relief floor. But you have to have the right kind of park for him. Especially lately. I’m not sure Arizona is a good fit.
Lotta, lotta fly balls, man.
Clip has been around the league with several teams…
I wonder which player holds the record for playing for the most teams….
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
The guy Paul Depodesta refused to trade in a package for Randy Johnson.
I wish the Angels had him. I’d take him as a setup man.
Why aren’t the Angels in on Shane Greene?
The Angels have boxed themselves into a corner. They have four bullpen spots reserved for Barria, Guerra, Claudio and Rivera. Three spots are locked up by Pena, Buttrey and Mayers. Unlike those seven, the closer is expected to be good.
I saw very early on that their moves were limiting their options. If I saw it, I wonder how Perry missed it.
They have a spot reserved for minor league signee Junior Guerra? Huh?
Yep, it is expected that Guerra will make the team and I certainly don’t expect him to have difficulty getting spring hitters out. Out of everyone on the Angels pen, he might be the most effective over the past two years. It’s close between him and Iglesias. The Angels bullpen stinks.
Guerra signed with the Angels because he thought he would make the team. Im sure the Angels did as well.
and the Braves couldn’t get it?
I’d rather have Shane Greene but hopefully they add at least one right handed reliever. Clippard probably wouldn’t have been bad for the price.
Solid addition. The man flat-out knows how to pitch.
The Yankee Clippard.
Nice, Dave Frost, nice!
Wonder who they will trade him to at the deadline
Such an underrated reliever. Goes about his business the right way and pitches in whatever role is asked of him. Pretty nice under the radar move here.
This is a pretty solid signing in my opinion. Clippard has shown he still has something left in the tank, and at this price there is really no risk. Could be a decent trade chip at the deadline as some have mentioned.
Oh, they’ll be on their knees begging him to leave town long before the trade deadline.
Clippard is like a ship in the night
At least he never played for the dbacks and played bad before.
Was good for the twins last year. Wish we re-signed
Solid move. Hazen just churns the bullpen roster season after season. The snakes have no hope of competing this season but It will be fascinating to see if Marte, Escobar, C. Kelly & Weaver sink or soar this full season.
Who do they sign next, Jay Bell?
where’s he at when the deadline passes?
I am surprised he wasn’t on the Phillies radar. A reunion with Joe Girardi would have been to both’s benefit. Possible, though that the Phillies couldn’t squeeze him in their budget. He is obviously a pitcher, not a thrower, for he is still striking people out with an 89”er FB.