Jeff Passan of ESPN broke the news that the Guardians have signed Shawn Armstrong, right-handed reliever, to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million.
Armstrong broke into the bigs with the Guardians in 2015-2017. Since being traded, he has put up a solid 3.86 ERA and 3.64 FIP with eight other teams in 378 innings. Take out 2020 and that’s over 50 innings of relief work a season.
Last year for the Rangers was one of Armstrong’s best season with 74 innings of 2.31 ERA and 3.07 FIP, striking out 9 batters
per 9 and only walking 2.43 batters per 9. He looks to be a reliable veteran arm for a young bullpen in need of that. He features a four-seam, cutter, sinker and slider, with his sinker his best weapon, which keeps him off the barrel of hitters’ bats. Stuff+ likes his 4-seam (102) and sinker (107) and loves his slider (119) and his cutter is usable at 93.
Armstrong is a useful addition to the pen, but, perhaps most interestingly, his addition would put the roster at 22 pitchers and 41 players total. Is there a trade in the offing or would the team DFA a Doug Nikhazy? Stay tuned…
