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MLB Rumors: Tanner Roark, Blake Treinen, Josh Lindblom and Michael Wacha all reportedly agreed to free agent deals today, as the pitching market continues to move relatively quickly this offseason.
Roark, the former Texas Ranger farmhand who went to the Washington Nationals in the Cristian Guzman trade and then blossomed, reportedly agreed to a 2 year, $24 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Roark had a 4.35 ERA and a 4.67 FIP in 2019 while splitting the year between the Cincinnati Reds, who acquired him from Washington before the season, and the Oakland A’s, who picked him up from Cincy for the stretch run.
Roark, 33, is pretty much a league average starter right now, and whether you prefer him and his deal to deals the Rangers gave to Kyle Gibson (3 years, $28 million ) and Jordan Lyles (2 years, $16 million) is probably a matter of personal preference.
Michael Wacha reportedly got a 1 year deal from the New York Mets for $3 million, with another $7 million in possible incentives. Wacha was a first round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals out of Texas A&M in 2012 and moved quickly, making it to the majors in 2013. He was solid his first couple of years for the Cardinals, but has struggled since 2016, and is one of those reclamation projects that we thought the Rangers might have interest in this offseason.
Josh Lindblom, the former Texas Ranger who came here from Philadelphia in the Michael Young trade, then went on to the A’s in the ill-fated deal that sent Craig Gentry to Oakland and brought Michael Choice and Chris Bostick to Texas, reportedly agreed to a 3 year, $9.125 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Lindblom has been pitching in the Korean Baseball Organization the past two years, and after his success there, has returned to the United States and appears to be slated for the Brewers’ rotation.
Blake Treinen has reportedly agreed to a one year, $10 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is unexpected, since he is a free agent because the A’s non-tendered him, but he was expected to make less than that in arbitration. Treinen was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2018 and was terrible in 2019. Los Angeles is rolling the dice that he will return to form for 2020.