Four Available Free Agent Arms Who Might Help Your Team
By Matt Veasey
DOUBLE-DIGIT WIN MACHINE
Doug Fister has shown over eight big league seasons that he knows how to win ball games. The righty who will turn 32 years old just before spring training begins has won in double digits five times, including a dozen wins in the 2016 season.
As recently as 2014, Fister won 16 games for the Washington Nationals and finished eighth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He began the 2015 season back in the Nats rotation. But after struggling through the first 4+ months, he was relegated to the bullpen.
In January 2016, Fister signed a one-year deal with the Houston Astros as a free agent. He made 32 starts, going 12-13 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.425 WHIP.
Fister has postseason experience, having made eight starts over nine appearance in the playoffs. Again as recently as that 2014 season, Fister pitched well and won Game 3 of the NLDS for the Nationals over the San Francisco Giants.
POTENTIAL RISK AND REWARD
His relatively poor performance over the last year and a half, as well as his age, are what teams are going to have to balance against his experience.
Fister has put nearly $31 million in career earning in the bank already. While he would certainly prefer a multi-year deal, I would expect someone to nab Fister for one year at between $8-10 million.
The usual suspects in the Yankees, Pirates, and Mariners are all reportedly in on Fister. He has also been linked to the Marlins and Phillies, though the latter is likely out now with yesterday’s acquisition of Clay Buchholz.