MLB free agency: What’s shaking with Brad Hand?
By Phil Watson
All-Star closer Brad Hand hit MLB free agency in an unexpected fashion after being waived last October. Where are the likeliest landing spots for the lefty?
Under normal circumstances, closer Brad Hand would never have been part of MLB free agency this offseason. But after a nearly fan-free, COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, the no-brainer of the Cleveland Indians picking up Hand’s $10 million option for 2021 would have been a foregone conclusion.
These are clearly not normal circumstances and Cleveland, in a purely cost-cutting move, instead placed Hand on outright waivers on Oct. 29. Since he went unclaimed, all the Indians were left on the hook for was a $1 million buyout.
The Indians have placed Brad Hand on outright waivers with the intention of declining his $10 million club option if he goes unclaimed, sources say. If a team does claim him, the Indians won't be responsible for paying his $1 million buyout. Hand posted a 2.05 ERA in 2020.
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) October 29, 2020
With the New York Yankees signing Friday of All-Star second baseman DJ LeMahieu, the sluggish (to put it mildly) MLB free agency market may begin to see more movement and there are rumors of several suitors for Hand. After all, most teams would have to have some interest in a closer who led the American League with 16 saves in 16 chances in 2020.
Hand has saved 105 games with 17 blown saves since the start of the 2017 season, when he emerged as the closer for the San Diego Padres before being dealt to Cleveland a couple of weeks before the waiver trade deadline in 2018.
Overall last season, Hand made 23 appearances and posted a 2.05 ERA and 0.773 WHIP in 22 innings, striking out 29 and walking just four. Hand did not surrender a home run, either.
So which teams are pursuing Hand? There are several, but not all of them as serious as some of the others.