Call to the pen
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Examining How the Highest Paid Relief Pitchers Are Playing in 2019

ByTyson Shushkewich|
SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 5: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the mound after loading the bases during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park May 5, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 5: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the mound after loading the bases during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park May 5, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

 Highest Paid Relief Pitcher: Wei-Yin Chen

5-Years, $80M ($16M AAV)

Wei-Yin Chen is a case where a starting pitcher has lost their touch and went to the bullpen to find it again. The only problem is that Chen has had an abysmal 2019 campaign, so instead of finding his groove back to the starting rotation, he is playing himself further and further away from starting ever again.

At #1 on our list with a 2019 salary of an even $20 million dollars, Wei-Yin Chen was signed by the Miami Marlins to a 5 year-$80 million dollar deal that will see him in a Marlins uniform until he hits free agency in 2021.

When Chen came over to the Marlins, he was a starting pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles for 4 years already. With the Baltimore Orioles, Chen pitched to a 46-32 record with a 3.72 ERA.

While the 5-year deal may have been a bit of an overspend by the Marlins, the deal looked to be alright considering Chen was having some solid seasons within the tough AL East Division.

Since his arrival in Miami, his career has gone completely off the rails, with numerous injuries and poor starts over his past 3 seasons, forcing the Marlins to relegate Chen to the bullpen to begin the 2019 season.

While in the bullpen this year, Chen has been just brutal, appearing in 8 games and 11 innings, featuring an 11.45 ERA and giving up 5 home runs with 19 hits.

In a team in the middle of a rebuild, Chen is not helping the cause by any means. He is owed a lot of money over the next few years, and he is really not playing that well. If he were a younger player not signed to this long term deal, he would be in AAA right now or outright released.

With his rough start to the year, Chen has virtually made himself not only an expensive liability but virtually a worthless trade asset for others teams, so Derek Jeter and Co. will most likely never find a trade partner for his services (unless they pay his entire salary moving forward).

Of all MLB relief pitchers, I bet you didn’t guess Wei-Yin Chin was the highest paid in 2019, did you?

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