Josh Lindblom back on MLB free agency radar

After two years away from the majors, Josh Lindblom has emerged as a viable option in free agency.

During his time in the majors, Josh Lindblom was essentially Just Another Pitcher. He had his moments as a solid middle reliever for the Dodgers, but was a baseball vagabond. In his five seasons in the major leagues, Lindblom was a part of five different organizations, a Quad-A pitcher who had 13 appearances from 2013 through 2017, with time in Korea in 2014 and 2015 interspersed in that span.

Released by the Pirates in July 2017, Lindblom found few rakers amongst major league franchises. Instead, he turned to Korea, plying his trade in the KBO for a better salary than he could have earned on a minor league deal. He returned to the Lotte Giants for the rest of the year, where he pitched in his previous stint in Korea.

His signing with the Doosan Bears changed Lindblom’s career. Instead of being a solid KBO pitcher, he became a star, one of the best pitchers in the league. Over the past two years, he posted a 35-7 record, along with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.029 WHiP. In his 363.1 innings, Lindblom struck out 346 batters with just 67 walks. His 2019 campaign was particularly impressive, as Lindblom led the KBO in wins, WHiP, strikeouts, K/9, BB/9, and was second in ERA.

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With that run of success, Lindblom has emerged as an intriguing option in free agency. In a year with several top pitching options, such as Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Madison Bumgarner, a pitcher like Lindblom can fly under the radar.

However, that could make him an extremely valuable commodity. He is not likely to command a high price tag, but could emerge as a solid back of the rotation starter. In fact, it is entirely possible that Lindblom follows in the footsteps of another unheralded pitcher to find himself in the KBO – Merrill Kelly.

Unlike his previous return to the majors following a stint in Korea, Lindblom may be able to maintain his success. The spin rate on his fastball has increased, allowing his mediocre velocity to play up. Of course, at 33 years old in June, and with a relatively mediocre major league track record, it is understandable that teams could be skeptical of his potential to be a useful major league piece. However, there is still that chance…

Josh Lindblom found a great deal of success in Korea. Given that track record, he could be a very intriguing option for a team looking for a lower cost starter.