The Mets announced that they have claimed right-hander Sam Coonrod off waivers from the Phillies. The righty had been designated for assignment by the Phils last week to create room on their roster for infielder Josh Harrison. To create space on the roster for Coonrod, outfielder Khalil Lee has been designated for assignment.
Coonrod, 30, posted a 5.74 ERA with the Giants in 2019 and 2020 but had a nice breakout in 2021 after getting traded to the Phillies. He threw 42 1/3 innings that year with a 4.04 ERA, 25.9% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 57.1% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to keep the momentum of that season going into 2022, getting shut down in Spring Training with a shoulder strain. He eventually returned but posted a 7.82 ERA over 12 appearances down the stretch.
For the Mets, they will be taking a shot on a bounceback from the righty, with reasons to believe that’s possible. There was surely some ill fortune at play in his rough results last year, as his 48.5% strand rate was well below the 72.6% league average. ERA estimators like FIP and SIERA had his work graded much lower, coming in at 4.61 and 4.41, respectively. His fastball velocity could also tick up now that he’s further removed from his injury, since it was at 97 mph last year after being between 98 and 99 in the previous two years.
Coonrod has an option and won’t even need to be guaranteed an active roster spot, allowing him to serve as depth in the minors until needed on the big league club. The club’s bullpen chart is topped by Edwin Díaz, Adam Ottavino, David Robertson and Brooks Raley, while Coonrod will be trying to earn a spot further down against guys like Drew Smith, John Curtiss, Stephen Nogosek and others.
Lee, 25 in June, has served as an optionable depth outfielder for the club recently, getting into 13 MLB games in the past two seasons. He spent most of last year at Triple-A, hitting .211/.326/.366 for a wRC+ of 89 in 100 games. Last week, it was reported that he’s under investigation by Major League Baseball under the league’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. His ex-girlfriend filed a federal lawsuit that alleges that Lee assaulted her physically and verbally in May of last year.
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported the transactions prior to the official announcements.
No one is picking up Lee right now. Let’s see if the Mets hang on to him while he’s being investigated for DV…
Could haunt the Phils a bit. Coonrod was solid in 21 before getting injured. 22? Not so much, but a bounceback isn’t unlikely.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Phils have nothing to worry about when it comes to Coonrod
I mean the Phillies bullpen is really good on paper. So there wasn’t much room for Coonrod.
Kimbrel, Soto, Alvarado, Dominguez, Brogdon, Strahm and even Nelson and Bellatti are more consistent than Coonrod. Coonrod does have a live arm, and if Jeremy Hefner can help him harness it, it is worth the shot for the Mets. That said, the Phillies pen is loaded with veterans who pitch in tough situations. They should be really good.
He just added an intriguing cutter and already had a pretty live arm. Not a bad pickup for an up and down prospective guy
He wasn’t terrible in 2021, but if a low-4s ERA reliever who has never pitched 50 innings in a season and is the best in lower-leverage is the floor here, I’m sure the Phils won’t miss him much,
It’s more like he was trending in the right direction with impressive moments then he got hurt. Then he wasn’t so impressive. I think he’s worth taking a chance on, but wouldn’t be shocked if he struggles too.
Winckowski for this guy turned out pretty bad for both teams
The royals definitely won that trade… but we all knew that from the minute it happened lol
I meant the mets and red sox lost the trade
Just for a moment there, I thought that they had a shot at sneaking him through. No big deal, but if healthy he added some potentially solid bullpen depth.
I wonder if this is related to the DV allegations on Lee.
no it’s related to the fact that Lee is awful at baseball
He was among the best offensive players in AAA in 2021 and is only 24. There’s a ton of talent there, but no one’s touching him at the moment.
How much you can smash minor league pitching is irrelevant after a certain point. He is completely overmatched against any major league caliber pitching. He hasn’t progressed or learned anything in 4 years. He’s the same flawed player with a flawed swing he always was. He was a DFA candidate this year even before the DV allegations.
So I guess Bret Baty is garbage too then.
I think it’s a little shortsighted to declare someone is “overmatched” by MLB pitching after just 20 big league plate appearances, even if they were 20 terrible ones, but hopefully we’ll never know and Lee never plays in the majors again.
I know he was great in 2021, but there were a lot of red flags that year and his performance in 2022 shouldn’t be a major surrpise. .402 batting average on balls in play and a 29.6% strikeout rate. He had always been a guy with a higher than average BABIP with his career mark during his time in the Royals’ system at .357, but 400 was high, even for him. BABIP goes down to .314 this year, and his strikeout rate moves in the wrong direction to 33.3%, and he looks overmatched, even at Triple-A this year. With how often he strikes out, his ceiling is probably a 4th outfielder who can hit a dozen home runs and steal a dozen bags, but that’s about it.
@d2323
im curious where you are getting 4 years from? The man had a 2 week call up in 2021 when your outfield was maybin fawgras (sp?) lee and smith then last year he was a late game replacement in 2 games for 2022 one of which was a double header and the other a blowout.
I mean you would cut someone that has only 3 hits through his first 20 ab with a double. as their only extra base hit?
Gonna guess it’s both lol
Good stealth pickup for NYM
they would have been better off claiming Mark Leiter Jr last week
How do you know they didn’t try. The Cubs got him.
Lee’s actions gonna influence his career.
Ya think?
Khalil Lee another failed trade by Brodie Van Lunchwagon!
Not much different than Brodie’s trade for Keon Broxton; another guy who did nothing but strike out just like Lee
No hilarious nickname for Broxton? How about Peon?
Zach Scott actually made the trade in 2021; Brodie (who acquired a star closer for talent that is either retired, or has not yet functioned on the major league level) had as Lottie to do with it as he did with the trade of Kyrie Irving.
Who’s Lottie?
Not only did BVW not make that trade, but I’m sure the Mets aren’t sweating the loss of Josh Winckowski, who had an ERA of nearly 6.00 last year and FIP of almost 5.00.
Widely discussed that NYM looking for optionable pen arms. May preclude them from adding a Chafin or Fulmer.
That’s what I was thinking. And although I’d rather have Coonrod on my roster than Lee, this acquisition is a bit of a letdown
Mets are looking for bullpen arms with ML options. Don’t think chafin, Moore or fulmer happens unfortunately. It’s been said that Matt strahms contract with the Phils pretty much killed the market for the remaining relievers.
Good exchange IMHO.
Lee has not contributed at the MLB level yet, and probably wouldn’t have this year either. Now with the DV allegations he may wind up with a lengthy suspension if MLB finds the allegations credible. Conrood is basically a lottery ticket if he is healthy. The Mets lose nothing with this swap out, and gain an optionable potential bullpen arm. Plus it is a quick decisive action by the Mets to get rid of a problem. I believe that they will release him rather than holding on to him in the minors once he passes through waivers. Sounds like a win for the Mets.
Spelling mistake, Coonrod, my apologies to him and his parents….
Stupid eppler. Lol this is how he thinks he can rebuild a bullpen. A good GM doesn’t make the same mistakes teice. But in eppler’s case he’s well past mistake #5. Predication Mets don’t win anything in 2023 and the window closes. Should have dumped the trash at the end of last season. Braves with yet another division win.
Nice job uncle Steve you swapped out a woman beater for a racist church boy enjoy the 7.00 era! You were better off just cutting Lee and signing depth off FA…
“His ex-girlfriend filed a federal lawsuit that alleges that Lee assaulted her physically and verbally”
Is the “verbal” piece of that actionable either under federal or MLB statutes? Not condoning it, but I’m curious if that’s really a chargeable offense.
I think the physical part is enough to cover it. No need to split hairs.