The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Chad Green to a deal that will reportedly guarantee him $8.5MM over two years. He will make $2.25MM in 2023 and then Jays will then have the option of triggering a $27MM option for the next three years, with up to $1MM in bonuses. If they decline, Green’s player option for 2024 will be for $6.25MM with $2MM in bonuses. If he declines that, the Jays can trigger a two-year, $21MM option with $1MM in bonuses. Since player options are considered guaranteed, the $8.5MM figure comes from the 2023 salary and 2024 player option. Green is a Frontline client.
Green, 32 in May, has been serving as a quality reliever for the Yankees for the past seven seasons but was sidelined in May of last year and underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter. This deal provides both parties with a bit security for the future. If Green comes back healthy and looks like his old self, the Jays can get some long-term value out of their investment by keeping him around for future seasons. If Green should suffer some kind of setback or struggle to get back on track in his return, he will at least be able to lock in some salary for 2024.
An 11th round draft pick of the Tigers in 2013, Green and Luis Cessa went to the Yankees in the December 2015 trade that sent Justin Wilson to Detroit. He was primarily a starter at that time and made his MLB debut in 2016 in a swing capacity. That was essentially the end of his time as a true starter, as the Yanks converted him to relief on a full-time basis. He did make one start in 2017 and 15 in 2019, but those were of the “opener” variety, none of them longer than two innings.
Since making that transition, he has somewhat quietly been one of the most effective relievers in the league. Over the past six major league seasons, he’s pitched 338 innings over 260 total appearances with a 2.96 ERA, striking out 33.4% of batters faced while walking just 6.1%. Among relievers to throw over 300 innings in that stretch, he ranks fourth in strikeout rate, trailing only elite guys Josh Hader, Edwin Díaz and Liam Hendriks and coming in ahead of Kenley Jansen and Ryan Pressly. Green was never given the closer’s role due to the presence of Aroldis Chapman, tallying just 11 saves in his career so far, but he does have 52 holds.
The Tommy John surgery was quite poorly timed for Green, as he was just a few months away from qualifying for free agency. He would have been one of the top relievers this offseason if not for that. However, if he can return to the mound and post results similar to those already on his track record, he’ll still wind up with a nice payday. After making $2.25MM this year, if he Jays pick up that three-year option, he’ll get to $29.25MM in earnings. That’ll be just a bit shy of some other deals for notable relievers this offseason, such as the $32MM for Jansen, $33MM for Taylor Rogers and $34.5MM for Rafael Montero.
For the Jays, this won’t affect their bullpen immediately but it will potentially give them a boost at some point later this year. They will likely have Jordan Romano in the closer’s role, with other high-leverage jobs going to pitchers like Yimi García, Erik Swanson, Anthony Bass and Tim Mayza. Once Green is able to return, he will jump into the mix with that group. The Jays will now have two pitchers potentially bolstering their staff midway through the upcoming campaign, as Hyun Jin Ryu also underwent TJS last year and is targeting a return around the All-Star break.
Financially, this nudges the Jays slightly farther into luxury tax territory. Roster Resource now pegs their competitive balance tax figure at $246MM, about $13MM beyond the $233MM threshold. As a first-time payor in the lowest tax bracket, the club is subject to a 20% tax on its overages, currently just over $2.5MM.
Michael Marino of Fantrax first reported the Jays and Green were in agreement. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet for had the $8.5MM guarantee and presence of options for 2025 and 2026, as well as later adding the breakdown of the options (Twitter links). Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first added the complex option framework and that Green passed his physical (Twitter links).
If he comes back to his old form, this’ll be a great signing by Toronto.
Complicated deal. Those cap gurus must have lost sleep putting it together.
Before anyone corrects me, I meant to say tax threshold gurus…
Garcia, Mayza, and Bass are not “high leverage” relievers, and if they are on your team then your team is not going to the World Series.
Says this guy
Is that you Brian Cashman?
Correct. I remember hearing a segment on MLB radio last season when the playoffs began that stated if you put together a bullpen of all the AL teams that made the playoffs, maybe only one reliever from the Jays would make the bullpen, that possibly being Jordan Romano.
@parksy
So out of a 8 man bullpen, only one would be a jay? That says what exactly? I don’t care that u hating on jays that’s cool, I just have no idea what your statement is supposed to mean, thats just useless info some mlb commenter said. The closer from each of those 6 teams would most likely be on that list so that 6/8 right there. So the other 2 spots wouldn’t be jays (or from some of the other teams as well) and that’s supposed to mean something?
Anyone that would have corrected you on that one needs to seriously reconsider their life choices. That’s a bit too far down the pettiness rabbit hole…
@acoss
This is a pretty complicated deal. If he comes back—this year would be a bargain. Moving forward—it’s basically market rate (3/27-30)
Market rate is a win for the Jays, Canadian tax rates on the rich usually mean they’d have to pay a little above market value.
Either way, Toronto needs some bullpen improvement to consistently reach the next level of the playoffs.
Not bad if he gets back healthy. I assume a 1 year deal with an option
Read the column man…
He did read the column a half hour ago.
Thanks man, almost like they edit updates after they happen or something
All I can say is good for him. One of the few old school relievers that never toots his own horn. Team player that takes whatever role he is given and goes out every time and gives his all. He should return just fine. One of the few relievers the Yankees didn’t beat up too hard. Boone’s only saving grace is he doesn’t lean on 2-3 relievers constantly the way Girardi used to.
Really good get by Jays. Wonder if we will see a flurry of the remaining pen arms in next week or so before reporting
Doing our trade deadline shopping in the Offseason
Ryu coming back around the break, Green going to be ready around the break as well.
Smart
Green is a solid and reliable bullpen arm. The Yanks loved him. If he was coming back mid season I have no doubt they would have resigned him. I will be surprised to see him before Sept at the earliest.
I assume a low 2023 salary with a closer to market rate 2024 salary with mid point option prices-
$2M, $6M, $500k buyout on $6.5M option and $500k buyout on $7.5M option. Potential sunk cost of $8.5M, potential total value of fair but affordable $22M over 4 years.
You were close on the $2MM number for 2023, but then a fleet of accountants took over for years two through four. : -)
Yes, indeed please take our leftovers and enjoy 2nd or 3rd place in the AL East. Good luck!
Bring back the downvote
Go-fund-me page needs atarted, along with a Daily Downvote section in the Opener. This where the previous day’s worst comment get reposted, people shred and the below average commenter is made to feel shame.
and locked so original person can’t comment.
No, you’re atarted!
What’s up everybody? He is going to walk after next year,
Should the blue Jays offer Kikuchi six-years $10 million? 7 years $13 million…
The Yankees might be battling Baltimore for 2nd while both look up to the AL east Champion Jays in 2023.
You have so many Holes, if any regression happens with the SP, if Velope or whatever his name is, is a flop, if no one figures out how to play LF, if DJL can be healthy isn’t he just a 1B now? Donaldson, IKF, Torres, losing all you best pen pcs from the last few years.
More questions than answers. If more than one goes wrong you might be battling Boston for 4th
But yea, Yankees are gonna run away with it?? Lol
Isn’t DJ one of the top 10 3rd basemen in baseball. according the MLB top 10 3B Right Now. He is a guy who played 46 games there last year and only 183 games over his 11 year career. I surprised he wasn’t given the gold glove. I am glad the Jays did not sign him when he was a free agent.
Yes, we keep hearing your comments about the Jays being the odds on favorite in the Al East…LOL …blah, blah, blah….until you win something in this decade, maybe you should watch what you post…..Yeh, keep talking and lets check in at the All Star break this year and see where everyone stands going in to the second half….
Who cares what the record is at the all star break? Last time I checked they don’t have a award for best record at the break. Calm down
If more than one goes wrong? So if ”Velope” struggles and Donaldson plays , the Yankees are borderline last place?
yikes, go back to hockey. “Lol”
CaptainJudge99:
That’s a clown comment.
– a Yankee fan.
Look who’s talking about winning something this decade….. a Yankees fan lol.
Yankee fans are generally great. CaptainJudge99’s remark notwithstanding. Thanks for reminding us of that.
I love Yankee fans, they always truly believe they have the best team
Oh we don’t truly believe we have the best team…. But just better than the Jays again.
Such a stupid generalization anyway since many Yankee fans here are always questioning the teams moves.
Green has and will always be a unsung hero for the Yankees. When cash made this trade, everyone was going absolutely crazy. He was the most reliable and trustworthy arm that can come in at any moment and strike out the side or give you 2 innings. Was hoping the yankees would have resigned him, maybe he will follow in kanhles footsteps
Green and Cessa were both good for the Yankees. That was a trade win for Cashman for sure.
Joe do you expect a trade involving Luis Gil?
I remember when Cashman traded Justin Wilson, a good lefty MLB reliever, for a AAA pitcher names Cessa and a AA reliever named Green, neither who had great numbers. The interwebs went crazy. Same thing happened when he traded Montgomery for Bader. In both cases he was playing one step ahead of the market where he saw scarcity and could deal from strength.
DD had a few dud trades at the end as Mr I was insisting he win now. Wilson had a fine two seasons with Detroit, but obviously NY got the better end of the deal. Cessa was no great loss, but Green had a fine time in NY.
Justin Wilson brought them back Candelario and Paredes. Paredes turned into Meadows and Candelario was the starting 3B for a long time.
Not a huge net loss from that transaction. Meadows is benefitting the team now.
Cessa was alway buried too deep to develop to his potential with the Yankees. Look closely at his numbers, and you see a pitcher who is solidly average.
yessssssssssss
I just cannot understand why my Reds wouldn’t make this deal. Bullpen has needed upgrading for several seasons and yet Castellinis repeatedly do little.no wonder we lost 100 in 2022 and fans expect more of the same in 2023.
@stricke – Every time a Reds fan says “I just cannot understand why my Reds…”, the answer is almost always ownership. Sorry – really feel for the Cincy market right now. Castellini’s need to sell.
CarverAndrews;
One problem with that…
Someone has to want to buy – pay the sales price and operate in the smallest of small markets.
No question that disparities in market size and revenue streams create an inequity in baseball. However the small markets have more revenues to spare than certain owners want to make available, and they are also a part of the problem. Spending floors should be tied to revenue redistributions, and Reds ownership is one of the concerns for the league right now.
Dude I’ve said that on several of these guys. There are actually still a lot of guys they could build a good bullpen with available if they put their mind to it.
They don’t even make token offers so they can say, “We tried.” They just sit on their hands and say, “Nope! Not gonna do it!”
The easy answer is money. They cannot afford to.
If they want to operate as a low budget team they need to stick to it, draft and develop, ship players out for prospects, don’t waste time signing guys like Castellanos and Moustakas if you truly can’t afford it, you don’t see other small market teams making fa splashes like the reds have in past seasons while not filling out the rest of the team.
this year will be better than the yankees.We have a more solid team
A Blue Jay from Cuba;
I expect the Jays to be one of 2023’s surprise teams.
Suprise team? They were predicted to be in the playoffs 3 years running. It wouldn’t be a suprise if they made it again.
@Selah, correct. They were the consensus pick, and certainly the popular pick, to win the AL East in 2022.
All kidding aside the Jays will love Green, he’s got great stuff. No reason why he still can’t be a 7th or 8th inning guy for them.
I wouldn’t say no reason, he is coming off TJ and another year older.
Yes, but Green should be better and ready to go, after coming back from surgery. If not in April, probably by mid May.
I’m a Green favorite regardless of playing against the Yankees with this recent signing but and its big but, TJ surgery doesn’t guarantee coming back the same if not better…we’ll have to see.
Well, didn’t see that one. But enough firewalls to help both sides from being burned I guess.
Basically a single-pitch reliever. He lives and dies with movement and late life on his fastball. If he comes back healthy he can help the Jays, but his stuff has slowly been slipping in recent years. Any decline from the surgery, and age, and he could be toast. In his favor is he’s a power pitcher who never relied on command. Control, yes; command, no. If he maintains his stuff, he could come back quicker. $8.5MM for a year and maybe two months of relieving seems like a good deal if he’s still good. The Yankees used to sign TJS guys to two year deals, but it’s been awhile. They seem to prefer to let them leave and go the Kahnle route. Let some other team pay for the rehab process.
Who gets cut from the Jays 40 man? Seems silly the 60-day IL goes away in the offseason when it’s clear players like Green won’t be back until late July or early August.
Just read the various complicated option years info. My head hurts.
hi LordD99. What’s the difference between “command” and “control”? I’m a baseball fan, but never played the game so I wasn’t aware of this distinction
Control = Throwing strikes or lack thereof
Command =Throwing strikes, plus limiting walks and hits or not
@nitnontu, it’s subtle. Control means a pitcher can throw strikes, but he may not be 100% sure where the ball is going in the strike zone. Command means he can hit the catcher’s glove in specific parts of the zone. Think Greg Maddux. Green’s fastball is so good that he doesn’t need to hit specific parts of the zone to be successful. He just needs to get ahead by throwing strikes.
Almost Lord99
Ultimately command isn’t tied to the strike zone, command is knowing where the ball is going, hitting the mitt as you mentioned, wherever it is. Could be an out of the zone slider away or a high fast ball up and out of the zone.
@Dusty, I originally wrote it as simply “hit the catcher’s glove where he’s set up,” but then tried to paint a better picture by keeping the references to “in zone”. My control on the response was fine, but my command was off!
Hahaha well done 99!
Control is being able to throw it in the strike zone. Command is throwing it in the location you want it. I would have said command is throwing it in the location in the strike zone where you want it but sometimes a little chin music is in order. Command is basically the difference between reducing solid contact or missing altogether vs giving up that long long home run that is followed by a nice bat flip.
Think of it like breaking wind on a crowded elevator:
Command: Passing high volume without sound, whilst exhibiting no distress, nor awkward physical positioning;
Control: Doing all this expelling only gas and nothing else.
Like throwing the perfect out pitch, a succesful presentation like this results in massive relief coupled with un-soiled garment, while the old lady in the corner takes the blame.
Its a unique skill set.
Control is throwing your pitch exactly where you want it to go. Kind of like accuracy.
Command is the ability to exert control over the course of an at bat, an inning, multiple innings.
Control is micro. Command is macro.
@LordD99 – “Who gets cut from the Jays 40 man? ”
My guess is Hatch if/when Green gets added to 40.
They will probably wait 2 weeks to make it official so they can put Ryu and then him
On the 60 day
Why didn’t the Sox sign him smh!
The shocker here is that we didn’t see a MLBTR article about how Red Sox Interested in Chad Green. He’s one of the few FAs who didn’t pass thru that filter
“It is high……..it is far…….it is GONE!!!!”
Hello
Judge should have went to a World Series bound team. He’ll never win with the Yankees, in case no one has noticed TOP TIER TALENT doesn’t want to play for the Yankees. They’d rather play in queens or LA or San Diego etc… I think part of it is the stupid shaving rules… the Yankees obviously are fine with barely making the playoffs don’t care about more then that. Weird.
@lolo69- ok, just as long as your sure. Gotcha!
Most of the quality teams build a bullpen for a fraction of the cost the Jays keep laying out. Believe it or not, sometimes they even get those pitchers from their farm system, on waivers, DFA’s, etc. The Jays have to pay retail for everything.
You may want to look up what all the Jays relievers make.
You mean like getting a very good reliever who is coming at a discount due to his injury?
Meanwhile Green will be only the 2nd FA reliever on the Jays roster, Do you even bother to check anything or just make it up as you go.
@marko
Made almost the same comment but for some reason it didn’t show on the feed. So I will just agree with you
Kinda silly to reply to Samuel since he probably has all of you blocked for previously disagreeing with him.
Actually we haven’t spent a lot on our pen at all, Garcia and now green are the only guys we signed as FA
Ws is coming north of the border!
It’s odd that the team would get to still exercise the 2/21 option if they decline the 3/27 option for a guy who is 32 next season and he declines his option. I would personally prefer 3/27 given inflation and his elite K/BB ratio and very solid performance, unless they think his production will magically drop off so much that he isn’t even worth 6 million when he turns 35. It’s like they think 35 is a magical number.
I hope he pitches against the Astros. One year he faced the Astros twice, once in NY and once at MMP. Altuve hit game-winning home runs on BOTH occasions.
You didn’t get the memo?
In my mind if the 3/27 option is actually in play, as in TOR is seriously considering exercising it because it might be good value, then it’s basically guaranteed that Green will decline the 1/6.25 player option and they’ll also have a chance at the 2/21.
In other words, if Green is pitching well TOR is just going to get to choose what they want between 3/27 or 2/21. The timing on when these get exercised isn’t really important if he’s pitching well. Green’s player option is just there as a safety net in case something goes wrong.
I do agree with you though that the 3/27 looks better because the AAV is lower and there’s an extra year of control. If they want to keep him after this year might as well take that one.
Nice signing by the 2023 AL Champions
I went to High school in NS with a Mike Drake. Good guy. Todays 2 cents. #gojays
I’ve always liked him quite a bit. Very happy to have him aboard.
Greenee is good early in the season, but after the All Star break make sure you have a good masseuse for your neck pain watching the ball fly high and very far!
Nice pickup for the Jays if he comes back strong. Try repeating the terms of his deal three times fast though (or even once for that matter)…
Valuable reliever who would have been a top arm this year if not injured.
Career Yankee pitching big innings in the AL East. Also, career 11.5 strikeouts per 9!
What I really like is that he has already passed his physical.
He should be back well before the all star break.
Great pickup!
Bout to get triggered over this deal.
For the record, I’d been calling for the Yankees to capitalize on his WAR and trade Green for the last couple of years.
He was money in his first four years in pinstripes. Then he started to get victimized by the long ball. In 2021, only three relievers gave up more home runs, and the timing of his failures was sometimes crushing. The only Yankee pitcher with more losses in 2021 was Cole, who had one more. I got to the point where I hated to see Chad take the ball. His ERA in high-leverage at-bats in 2021 was 6.20. Now columnists are asking rhetorically if the Yankees made a mistake in letting him go. I’m glad they did. Too much agita with him on the mound.
He always seemed like a Jays killer to me. Can’t mention how many times I remember Green coming in with runners on, or momentum going from a previous inning for the Jays, and then he’d come in and completely shut the door and squash whatever momentum we had going. Love this pickup for a playoff push late in the season and really love not having to face him anymore.
baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR202104140.shtm…
GOATlis W in this game
I hope he pitches against the Astros. One year he faced the Astros twice, once in NY and once at MMP. Altuve hit game-winning home runs on BOTH occasions.
I keep forgetting, which year is supposed to be the Jays’ year?
It’s this year…I swear haha
Maybe not though, a lot of questions, but you can’t hate a fan base for being optimistic, after all most jays fans are leaf fans and we ain’t won jack since 1967 so let us be optimistic….it’s all we got
I hate no fanbase.
I just razz a bit and get razzed as well, if we can all get a laugh out of it we will all be the better for it.
Peace!
@JustAJaysFan There is no reason for you to be NOT optimistic. So that’s always something.
A lot of Jays fans are Canucks fans too, and just wanna riot!
Can’t even enjoy Raptors success, still bitter about the Grizzlies.
Clinging to 92/93 and that’s ok still. Haven’t hit 86 years yet!!
Well, the Yankees last year was 2009. Don’t insult other teams. It will ALWAYS boomerang. And don’t make any trade proposals, either, unless you want to ber reminded of Frasier and Andujar proposals. Get a clue and don’t do either.
Yanks went 38-37 in last 75 games last year. Won’t be their year either.
Are the Jays looking to unload Yusei Kikuchi and his salary?
I think they would trade him for a 30 yr old AA 4th OF.
I’m sure if they could they would, or at least would attach something that wasn’t too valuable to dump him. But if I were a rebuilding team, I’d want at least a top 5-10 prospect to take on the remainder of that deal. As of now, he’s probably the favorite for the fifth slot, with the hope that he bounces back.
Agreed he’s likely the 5th starter. Unfortunately. I think he’s the reason, although not solely, they signed a bunch of MiLb SP’s and traded for Z. Thompson.
If Kikuchi can’t put up something resembling decent starts for the first 4 to 6 weeks the AAA musical chairs is starting. Played with a Calliope of course ;o)
Didn’t Toronto pick him in the 2010 draft in one of the later rounds? Guess they finally got their man then.
Well it’s not Ryan Goins but, it’s pretty good.
I’m a Ryan Goins fan. His defense made up for his lack of offense IMO.
I’m not sure about this one. So they guarantee him $8M+, and if they are right, they get him a league average $27M/3? I’m not sure what the upside is. Good pitcher, but the $27M/3 would be for ages 33-35.
Going to miss Green. But all good things come to an end.
Love the confusion and complexity of this contract lol
They have some players with untapped ceilings. They could go all the way.
A good soldier and a cat who will post up every time. If he comes back from TJS, he’ll be an asset for the Jays. In reality, he would have been a long shot to make the Yanks pen this year anyway.
He’s gonna rake in Toronto.
Miles Davis and Bill Evans approve of this move.
Read this as the Jays are betting some of the LH relievers are still gonna be available once injured reserve resumes as they’ll immediately hv 2 40 man spots opening up at that point…if it works out, its a good gamble
The new David Phelps