Former Nationals pitcher, Hunter Strickland signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in hopes of getting back to the majors.
This time last year, pitcher Hunter Strickland was getting ready for spring training with the Washington Nationals. In his mind (and the team’s), he was a lock for the roster and a vital part of the bullpen.
Didn’t play out that way. In fact, his performance in spring training was so bad, Strickland was released prior to the rosters being frozen ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.
Strickland isn’t high on the list of guys I’d like to have pitching for my favorite team. Of course he had the rhubarb with Bryce Harper, though as a fan of the Nationals I really don’t hold that against him. His pitching was awful while he was a member of the Nationals franchise, that I do hold against him.
In his 24 games with the Nationals in 2019, he pitched to a 5.14 ERA. He appeared in two games during the postseason and gave up three home runs, during the NLDS. For his career, in thirteen innings he has given up a whopping nine home runs.
If I had the ability to hurl the ball in the vicinity of the strike zone at a high rate of speed, I would continue to do so, or try to do so. Hunter’s athletic ability has allowed him to play for parts of seven years in the major leagues, compiling a respectable ERA of 3.23. I applaud the guy for continuing on with his passion and trade he knows best.
His recent numbers are unforgiving, however. In five years with the San Francisco Giants, Strickland had a 2.91 ERA. As their part-time closer in 2018, he saved 14 games.
Since leaving the Giants, he has played for three teams with a collective ERA of 5.86. His best days seem to be behind him. The Rays have a knack for piecing together a quality bullpen out of retreads and afterthoughts, making this a great fit for Strickland.
If the Rays can get Strickland back to his pre-2019 form, they’ll have found themselves a bargain. Should the Rays make the playoffs though, his history of surrendering gopher balls should keep him off the postseason roster.