If the deal goes through, it will be the second addition to their bullpen in a matter of days. Los Angeles signed left-hander Tanner Scott to the bullpen on a 4-year, $72 million deal. With Yates in the fold now, he joins Scott, Anthony Banda, Michael Kopech, and Blake Treinen to a strong bullpen.

Yates will be 38 years old on Opening Day coming off a season in which he posted a 1.17 ERA in 61 1/3 innings for the Rangers.  

There was little reported interest on the Mets end for Yates, even though they could use a right-handed reliever out of the bullpen. The team recently signed left-hander A.J. Minter. With Yates off the board, the Mets remaining options are thinning with players such as David Robertson, Kenley Jansen, Carlos Estevez, and Craig Kimbrel. With Yates assumingly going to the Dodgers, the defending World Series champions got better again. 

The post Dodgers Close to Signing Kirby Yates appeared first on Metsmerized.

Plenty of quality free agent options are available just a few weeks before pitchers and catchers report (Feb 12. for the Mets).

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Kirby Yates saved 33 games for the Rangers, fanned 85 in 61.2 innings, and posted a career-best 1.17 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. The 38-year-old made the All-Star team and finished eighth in Cy Young voting. Yates’ 2024 teammate, David Robertson, 39, had 99 punchouts in 72 innings and pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his 16th season.

Kenley Jansen, 37, was 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.06 WHIP for the Red Sox with 27 saves in 31 attempts. The right-hander, the active career saves leader (447, fourth all-time), held batters to a .196/.271/.304 slash line.

Before he gave up a grand slam to Francisco Lindor in the NLDS, Carlos Estévez saved 26 games for the Angels and Phillies and pitched to a 2.45 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 55 innings.

Kyle Finnegan was 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while striking out 60 in 63.2 innings for the Nationals. The right-hander saved 38 games (second in the National League) in 43 attempts.

Ex-Met Paul Sewald, 34, had 43 strikeouts in 39.2 innings for Arizona last year with 16 saves in 20 tries. His ERA jumped to 4.31, more than a full run higher than in 2023 (3.12).

Some other right-handers still searching for work include Tommy Kahnle (2.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 46 Ks, 42.2 IP) and Kendall Graveman, who missed 2024 after right shoulder surgery. Graveman posted a 3.12 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 2023 with the White Sox and Astros.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

If the Mets choose to add another southpaw, available lefties include Danny Coulombe (2.12 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 32 Ks, 29.2 IP, Orioles), Tim Hill (3.36 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 67 IP, Yankees), Andrew Chafin (3.51 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 70 Ks, 56.1 IP, Rangers) and Brooks Raley, who threw seven shutout innings for the Mets before getting injured. The 36-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery and is expected to be ready for the second half of 2025. In 2023, Raley had 61 strikeouts in 54.2 innings with a 2.80 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

The post Free Agent Market Remains Rich in Relievers appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets’ 2024 bullpen was a carousel of rotating players, although mainstays who will return in 2025 are closer Edwin Díaz, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez, José Buttó and Huascar Brazobán. Notable losses entering the 2025 campaign are Drew Smith, Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley. The team has made a handful of depth signings so far, the most notable bullpen addition being Griffin Canning (a natural starter who could transition to a similar role like Buttó). Sean Reid-Foley is a candidate for the bullpen, too, if healthy.

With the names stated above, the Mets can add around three more arms to their bullpen for 2025. The pen has been a weak spot for the team for the past few years. Below are a few players the team can add to bolster their relief core and solidify the 2025 team.

Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Tanner Scott

Brooks Raley’s early season-ending injury hurt the Mets big time in 2024. They were without a reliable reliever, and while Danny Young did a fine job filling in, the team needs a reliable, high-end southpaw in the pen for 2025. Scott, without a doubt, is the best reliever available this offseason. Over his eight-year career, the lefty owns a career 3.56 ERA through 368 ⅔  innings pitched. He’s saved 55 games, struck out 486 batters and walked 202. Scott had a career year in 2024, splitting his time between Miami and San Diego. He earned his first All-Star nod, saved a career-high 22 games, and finished the year with a career-best 1.75 ERA.

While the 30-year-old struggles with walks (he ranked in the seventh percentile with a 12.2% walk percentage in 2024), he makes up for it nearly everywhere else. Scott finished in the 90th percentile in expected ERA (2.96) and expected batting average (.200), 91st percentile in fastball velocity (97 mph), and 100th percentile in average exit velocity (84.3 mph). A two-pitch threat, he throws a four-seamer and slider. His four-seamer had the seventh-best run value in baseball in 2024 (17), with an expected batting average of .184 and slugging of .252.

Left-handed hitters have a career .191/.314/.289/.603 line against Scott, while righties hit .235/.335/.344/.679 against him. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Scott will net a four-year, $56 million deal. Scott ranks as their 14th-best free agent this offseason.

Read MMO’s Tanner Scott free agent profile here.

Alternate LHH Options: A.J. Minter, Danny Coulombe, Jalen Beeks

Kirby Yates, K'ing the Side in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zGYjfjm1eT

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 6, 2024

Kirby Yates

They say youth is key, but Kirby Yates proved otherwise in 2024. The 37-year-old had his best year since 2019, posting a 1.17 ERA in 61 games. He allowed 23 hits, eight earned runs, three home runs, 28 walks and struck out 85 batters through 61 ⅔ innings pitched. Yates had the seventh-most saves in baseball (33), finished eighth in AL Cy Young voting and was named to his second All-Star team in his one season with Texas.

Yates ranked in the 100th percentile in expected ERA (1.86) and expected batting average (.145) while striking out 35.9% of batters faced (98th percentile). While he was one of the better relievers in baseball in 2024 (3.3 bWAR), he’s no stranger to the injury bug. He’s had two Tommy John surgeries and, like Scott, struggles with command. His 11.8% walk percentage placed him in the bottom eight percentile of pitchers. While he’s never been one for velocity, his four-seamer tops out at around 93.2 mph, opponents have never been able to quite differentiate the pitch from his split-finger, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Lefties and righties have fared evenly against Yates. Lefties have a lifetime .196/.298/.362/.660 line against him, while righties mustered a .197/.276/.321/.597 line. While it isn’t likely Yates will replicate his 2024 season, he can still provide the Mets insurance in late innings. He can act as a setup man for Díaz, close for him when needed, and work in high-leverage spots.

Find MMO’s free agent profile on Yates here.

Alternate High-Leverage Arms: David Robertson, José Leclerc

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Ryne Stanek

Of all the members of the 2024 bullpen to return, Ryne Stanek should be at the top of the list. The Mets acquired Stanek from the Mariners in late July for minor league prospect Rhylan Thomas. Stanek struggled during the regular season with the Mets, posting an ugly 6.06 ERA in 17 games. He allowed 13 hits, 11 runs, eight walks and struck out 23 in 16 ⅓ innings pitched. However, his shining moment in Queens came during the playoffs. He pitched to a Stanek-like 3.38 ERA in seven games, allowing five hits, three earned runs, three walks and eight punch outs. His 2.89 career postseason ERA speaks volumes compared to his regular season career 3.65 ERA. All said, Stanek was born for the playoffs.

At 33 years old, his 2024 fastball velocity put him in the 97th percentile (97.7 mph), and he landed in the 94th percentile in whiff percentage (33.2%). Stanek’s arsenal consists of a four-seamer, split-finger, slider and sinker. Stanek’s expected ERA (3.44) and expected BA (.205) suggest he ran into some bad luck in 2024, explaining his elevated ERA. 

Most of the damage against Stanek came in his first couple of appearances with the Mets (he gave up three earned runs and two home runs in his debut inning in Queens). After that, he was a stellar presence for the Mets and could be a solid replacement for Drew Smith in the sixth or seventh inning in 2025.

MMO covered Stanek’s free agency here.

The post Three Free Agents Who Could Bolster Mets’ Bullpen appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: RP, B/T: L/R
Player Data: Age: 37 (03/25/1987)

2024 Traditional Stats: 33 SV, 61.2 IP, 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 7-2, 85 SO, 28 BB
2024 Advanced Stats: 340 ERA+, 35.9% K%, 11.8% BB%, 1.81 xERA, 2.50 FIP, 3.12 xFIP, 1.9 fWAR

Rundown

Debuting in 2014, Kirby Yates bounced around between the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angeles, putting up lopsided 5.27, 5.23 and 18.00 ERAs with each team. However, Yates succeeded as a reliever with the San Diego Padres in 2017, spending three full seasons with the team. His 2020 season was cut short after six games due to an elbow injury. With the Padres, Yates posted an impressive 2.55 ERA over 183.2 innings. He struck out 286 batters, walked 53 and saved 56 games.

In 2019, Yates earned his first All-Star appearance, leading MLB with 41 saves, and he finished ninth in Cy Young voting. He finished his 2019 campaign with a 1.19 ERA in 60.2 innings and struck out 101 batters while allowing 13 walks. His San Diego tenure ended after having surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. He signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays for 2021 but missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery during spring training.

Yates returned to the mound in 2022 with the Atlanta Braves, but it was another lost season as he missed more time with elbow inflammation after making his NL East debut late in the season. He appeared in only nine games, pitching to a 5.14 ERA. However, he turned a corner in 2023, his first full season since 2019, posting a 3.28 ERA through 60.1 innings. He struck out 80, walked 37, and held batters to a .165 batting average.

The reliever signed a one-year deal with the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers in the offseason and had his best season in 2024 since 2019. Named to his second All-Star Team, Yates posted a 1.17 ERA through 61.2 innings and made 33 saves, seventh best in baseball. He ranked in the 100th percentile in xERA (1.86) and xBA (.145), the 98th percentile in strikeout percentage (35.9%), the 97th percentile in pitching run value (24) and the 95th percentile in barrel percentage (4.1%).

A three-pitch reliever, Yates relies on a four-seamer, split-finger and slider (although he rarely uses the slider). He had the 15th-best run value on a pitch—his four-seamer, at 18—in 2024. For reference, Guardians reliever Cade Smith had the best run value on a pitch at 28. Paul Skenes‘ sinker had the 14th-best run value, also at 18. The fastball is dominant.

Of concern is Yates’ walk rate. He ranked in the eighth percentile in baseball in walk percentage (11.8%). In 2024, the league average walk percentage was 7.6%. While Yates has always struggled with control, he makes up for it with an elite strikeout percentage. League average in 2024 was 20.4%, while Yates’ strikeout percentage was 35.9%, as noted above. Also, the reliever will turn 38 at the start of the 2025 season. While he was dominant in 2024, and plenty of relievers have proven they can continue to pitch into their late-30s, it’s something to keep an eye on. The Mets had their fair share of pitchers with walk concerns last year, too.

Contract

Entering his age 38 season, MLB Trade Rumors predicts Yates will net a one-year contract worth $14 million. Primarily because of his age, it’s hard to think anyone will dish out a multi-year deal on Yates, regardless of his pristine 2024 season. However, incentives can play a role in whatever contract Yates signs. The reliever market may play out a bit before he signs.

Recommendation

The Mets enter 2025 with a bullpen consisting of Edwin Díaz, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez, Danny Young and Sean Reid-Foley. Reports noted Nuñez was progressing well after a strained flexor tendon forced him to end his 2024 season early. Reid-Foley dealt with injury for most of 2024 but was stellar when in play. There are plenty of prospects and fringe 40-man options, too. All to say, the state of the Mets’ bullpen is in flux.

It’s unknown if Yates can replicate his wicked 2024 season, but he would be a fine addition. However, for a Mets bullpen that struggles with walks, it would be something to consider. Either way, Yates will be a reliable middle-to-late arm reliever for any contender’s bullpen.

The post Free Agent Profile: Kirby Yates, RP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5: Washington Nationals

The Nationals ended the 2023 season with the worst bullpen ERA in baseball, finishing the year with a 5.02 ERA in 599 innings of relief work. The bullpen mustered 42 saves and a combined 0.6 fWAR while producing the worst K/9 rate in the league at 7.86 and HR/9 rate at 1.41. Suffice it to say, the Nats’ bullpen leaves much to be desired. However, the backend of the bullpen is their secret weapon. Hunter Harvey by far, has been their most reliable arm, posting a 2.82 ERA in 60 innings. Harvey’s fastball velocity ranked in the 97th percentile, averaging at around 98.3 mph, and his walk rate was one of the best in the game at 5.5%.

Kyle Finnegan appeared in 67 games for the Nationals in 2023, the most of any member. Washington is in the midst of a rebuild, and the process will continue in 2024.

Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: Miami Marlins

If there were one word to describe the Marlins’ 2023 bullpen, it would probably be forgettable. Of course, while forgettable is suitable in some places, the last place you want to be forgettable is on a baseball diamond. The Marlins fell in the middle of the pack in nearly all stat categories, but disaster struck when they traded for David Robertson. The ace they thought they scored to be their new closer floundered in the south, and the bullpen struggled in the back half.

While they earned their first full-season playoff ticket in twenty years, the 2024 outlook looks average at best. Their backend, however, is solid, anchored by Tanner Scott, A.J. Puk and Andrew Nardi. The 5.9 fWAR the 2023 bullpen generated in 2023 is due to this trio of hard throwers, but the rest of the bullpen is murky at best. However, ZiPS does project the bullpen to be in the top third in the league.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3: New York Mets

The bullpen might be one of the most glaring question marks for the 2024 Mets. With the return of Edwin Díaz and the additions of Jake Diekman, Shintaro Fujinami and Jorge López among others, the Mets are at a fork in the road. With plenty of potential and upside in their signings and acquisitions, there’s also room to be cautious. López and Fujinami have had successes before but struggled with their control in recent years.

However, David Stearns made sure depth was the name of the game this offseason. The Mets often found themselves thin on pitching, unsure where to turn, and Stearns now constructed a roster where the “next man up mentality” can prove effective. The 2023 bullpen had a slightly worse fWAR than the Nationals’ bullpen at 0.5 but still fell fourth in the division in K/9 with 9.20.

New York’s bullpen may very well be better than they look on paper right now. One thing for certain is their pen will certainly give Atlanta and Philadelphia’s bullpens a run for their money.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: Atlanta Braves

In 2023, the Braves led NL East relievers in K/9 (9.83), games saved (52) and BB/9 (3.23). Anchored by closer Raisel Iglesias, who led the NL East with 33 saves, the Braves bolstered their bullpen in the offseason when they signed Reynaldo López to a three-year deal. López bounced around in 2023 but pitched to an impressive 3.27 ERA and a career-high 83 strikeouts (as a relief pitcher). Pierce Johnson returns to the Braves bullpen after posting a 0.76 ERA in 23 2/3 innings for them last year. A.J. Minter (31.5 K%) and Joe Jiménez (30.7 K%) give them two big strikeout pitchers as well. 

The Braves’ bullpen remains otherwise the same entering the new season. Two notable losses include Kirby Yates, who signed with the Rangers, and Michael Tonkin, who inked a deal with the division rival Mets.

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1: Philadelphia Phillies

What was once a sore spot for the Phillies has become one of their strengths. Even with closer José Alvarado sidelined for a good chunk of the year (don’t worry, when he did pitch, batters only hit .195 off him), the team led NL East relievers in ERA (3.58), FIP (3.88) and fWAR (6.8). Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Seranthony Dominguez have become mainstays, and the bullpen is deep from top to bottom.

Orion Kerkering debuted and became somewhat of an unsung hero, unfortunately against the Mets, but is sure to have a bright future. Lefty Gregory Soto struggled in his first year in the National League, but even with his high walk rate, he landed in the 93rd percentile in Whiff% (34%).

All in all, the Phillies don’t seem poised for a setback barring injury. If anything, the pen is only going to get better and surely will be a nuisance for all batters across the league.

Previous NL East Positional Rankings: 

• First Base
• Second Base
• Third Base
• Shortstop
• Designated Hitter
• Starting Pitcher
• Right Field
• Left Field
• Center Field

The post 2024 NL East Position Rankings: Reliever Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: RP B/T: R/R
Age: 30 (03/25/1993)
2023 Traditional Stats: 68 G (1 SV), 66 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.121 WHIP, 4-3, 74 SO, 25 BB
2023 Advanced Stats: 141 ERA+, 27.0% SO%, 9.1% BB%, 3.14 xERA, 3.74 FIP, 4.24 xFIP, 0.6 fWAR, 1.1 bWAR

Rundown

Phil Maton began his career as a member of the San Diego Padres but faced constant promotion and demotion. He was an effective middle relief option as a member of their bullpen but soon became less efficient after he returned from a lat strain in 2018. He finished with a 5.02 ERA in San Diego through 114 innings of work and struck out 121 batters.

The Padres traded Maton to the Guardians in 2019, where he once again faced the constant battle between the big leagues and Triple-A. A bit more productive in Cleveland, Maton finished his stint in the AL Central in 2021 with a 4.30 ERA in 75 innings, and he saw his strikeout rate drastically increase as he threw his cutter more.

Once again traded, Maton wound up in Houston, where he flourished. Through 157 innings in his three years as an Astro, Maton went 8-5 with a 3.67 ERA and struck out 171 batters. 2023 saw his best year in Houston and possibly the best of his career. While he gave up 25 walks, his second highest after 32 in 2021, he played in a career-high number of games.

Maton throws a curveball, fastball, sweeper, and sinker. While he’s not known for his velocity, his average fastball sat at only 88.9 mph in 2023, Maton is one of the best in the league in inducing soft contact. According to Statcast, Maton ranked in the 100th percentile in hard-hit percentage (23.5%) in 2023. He also ranked in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity (84.5 mph), 95th percentile in xBA (.192) and 90th percentile in whiff% (32.9%).

Of concern is Maton’s control. He plunked a career-high nine batters in 2023, one year removed from hitting eight batters in 2022. His walk rate percentage also ranks slightly below the league average at 9.1%, and walks have risen in the past few years. A ground ball first pitcher, Maton has never allowed more than ten homers in a season.

Contract

Maton earned $2.55 million in his final arbitration-eligible year with the Astros. As he enters free agency for the first time, the right-hander should net either a one or two-year deal. In terms of dollar amount, expect him to earn between $3 million and $5 million per year. Here is what late-inning relievers comparable to Maton have signed for this offseason:

• Kirby Yates: one-year, $4.5 million (Rangers)
• Chris Stratton: two-years, $8.5 million (Royals)
• Andrew Chafin: one-year, $4.5 million (Tigers)

The reliever market has continued to move swiftly over the past few weeks. It’s only a matter of time before more names come off the board. Like other players, as Maton’s stock trends upwards, his price may as well.

Recommendation

Reports surfaced Saturday the Mets resigned right-hander Adam Ottavino to a one-year deal. That said, it’s unclear if the Mets would want to add another arm to their bullpen. However, Jon Heyman of the New York Post noted the Mets are still interested in lefty Wandy Peralta.

The Mets need all the bullpen help they can get. Capping it off at Ottavino might not instill enough confidence in the bullpen and depth. The team might need that extra jolt from an additional signing. Another lefty might handle that, or a righty like Maton. While Maton’s career numbers against lefties aren’t earth-shattering, they’re slightly on par with his statistics against right-handed hitters.

Maton would make a nice addition to the bullpen, allowing Ottavino to work out of the seventh inning. He would serve as the setup man for Edwin Díaz and has the potential to close out games when Dìaz is unavailable.

The post Free Agent Profile: Phil Maton, RP appeared first on Metsmerized.

The search for low-cost relievers and bounce-back starters has already begun. In the last two weeks, Stearns has signed Cole Sulser, Austin Adams, and Kyle Crick to minor league deals, and also inked former Yankee Luis Severino to a one-year deal. Needless to say, Stearns is already off to the races. Of course, the Mets are likely still looking for ways to fill out the relief corps as many available pitchers offer both upside and unique attributes that make them attractive at low costs to playoff-contending teams.

Below is a list of pitchers who have track records of success, are coming off of injuries, have serious upside, or have unique characteristics (arm slot for many of them) that make them worth a look in free agency.

Aug 7, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) pitches during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Pomeranz, LHP (34)

While Drew Pomeranz hasn’t pitched since 2021, has had continued bouts with elbow soreness, and had surgery early this past season, he isn’t going to retire just yet. In his last two seasons, 2020 and 2021, he was elite with sub-2.00 ERAs, and if he can regain form, he will surely be a bargain for whoever takes a flyer on him. Seeing him throw in a pro day would make sense after he got rocked in his final rehab outings with Triple-A El Paso near the end of the summer, but if he has some baseball left in him, he should be taken seriously. It’s also worth noting Pomeranz was acquired by Stearns in 2019.

Brad Hand, LHP (33)

Brad Hand is a familiar face to Mets fans after a brief tenure in Queens in 2021 and is a good buy-low candidate in the 2023 offseason. Despite a poor ERA of 5.50 in 2023, he had more encouraging peripheral stats (4.70 xERA, 4.02 FIP) due in large part to his strong walk (8.1%) and strikeout (25%) rates. Lefties out of the bullpen are eternally valuable and the Mets could use another with Brooks Raley currently the only reliable lefty in their pen. Hand limited hard contact last season and still registered strong strikeout numbers. The Mets should pull the trigger. Hand is only one season removed from a 2.80 ERA campaign. 

Shintaro Fujinami, RHP (30)

Shintaro Fujinami‘s command struggles are no secret, but neither is his 100 mph fastball. In a not-so-surprising fashion, when Fujinami was traded from Oakland to Baltimore, he improved significantly. In his 49 innings with the A’s, he had 30 walks, 51 strikeouts, and an 8.57 ERA. With the Orioles, he threw 29.2 innings with just 15 walks and 32 strikeouts to go along with a nearly halved 4.85 ERA. He started throwing his downright nasty splitter and slider significantly more after the trade, taking away from fastball usage which helped the command and overall results.

Kirby Yates, RHP (36)

Kirby Yates barely pitched for three seasons (2020-2022) before having an incredible bounce-back season in 2023. Last season, Yates had an impressive 31 percent K-rate with 80 strikeouts in 60 innings in relief. While his 14 percent walk rate was high, those kinds of whiff numbers make the true outcomes palatable. Known for his demonic splitter, Yates features a fairly even mix between his four-seam averaging around 94, and the splitter. His splitter has nearly 14 inches of vertical movement difference from his fastball, making it a sure-fire strikeout pitch. Yates’ velocity was also a good indicator of health as he was within 0.5 mph of his 2019 average velocity last year.

John Brebbia, RHP (34)

John Brebbia had a strong strikeout rate of 29 percent in 2023 and used his slider as his primary pitch. He throws a four-seamer to go along with the slider, averaging in the mid-90s with the heater. While he doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary, his sliders still hold up, making him an apt replacement for Adam Ottavino, despite their fastballs being different shapes.

Adam Cimber, RHP (33)

Adam Cimber was non-tendered by the Blue Jays last week. He was placed on the injured list in June and didn’t make another appearance on the season as he recovered from a shoulder impingement. Usually, shoulder impingements are not long-term issues, indicating he may be ready for the start of 2023. Depending on his recovery timeline he could be an interesting addition as another low-slot reliever with low walk rates. He had a fantastic 2022 season, with an ERA just north of 2.00 in 70-plus innings.

Tim Hill, LHP (33)

Tim Hill was recently non-tendered by the Padres but is another side-arm pitcher with a bit of extra velocity. He struggled with the Padres in 2023 down the stretch, but still boasts an elite fastball with one of the best vertical approach angles in the game. He also has low walk rates (~7%) but has extremely high ground ball rates too (60+%). The ground ball rates make him reliable and indicate that his ERA of 5.30 was likely a bit inflated, purely by his home runs allowed (7). This issue could likely be solved if he was slightly less reliant on fastballs as he used them nearly 95 percent of the time.

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