Tampa Bay Rays signed with starting pitcher Chris Archer in a $ 6.5 million year, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The business is awaiting a physical examination. Archer, 32, has spent the past two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but has not played during the 2020 shortened campaign after undergoing surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome.
The right-handed veteran will now return to the team where he first made his name. Archer spent his first seven years in the MLB with the Rays, posting an ERA of 3.69 (107 ERA +) and 1.23 WHIP with 1,146 eliminations against 347 walks in 1,063 entries. Archer at his best had one of the best sliders in the league and was twice All-Star with the Rays.
However, after being traded from Tampa to Pittsburgh by Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz within 2018, he struggled to achieve mediocre 4.92 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 172 entries in 33 games with Pirates. Pittsburgh chose to pay Archer’s $ 250,000 purchase instead of taking the $ 11 million 2021 club option after the 2020 season ended.
Archer missed the entire 2020 season due to thoracic outlet surgery, a procedure that has derailed the career of many pitchers, including ex-Mets All-Star Matt Harvey. Archer has been a free agent forgotten in this off-season, as it is not known what he left for the hill, although the possibility of Archer posting a recovery season in 2021 remains. And, considering the fact that the Tampa organization specializes in getting the most out of its pitchers, a meeting with Archer could result in success for both parties.