Report: Twins To Sign LHP J.A. Happ

[Seth Stohs]

Several reports from national writers report that the Twins have agreed to terms with veteran left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ.On Wednesday afternoon, the Twins were back in the news, making a second major-league move. The team added a veteran with a lot of experience and a lot of success.

 

 

Happ turned 38-years-old in October. 2021 will be his 15th season in the big leagues. In 2020, he went 2-2 with a 3.47 ERA in nine starts for the Yankees. In 49 1/3 innings, he walked 15 and struck out 42 batters. He has had an ERA under 4 in five of the past six seasons.

 

According to Jon Heyman, the one year deal will be worth $8 million.

 

 

The deal leaves the Twins with a rotation consisting of:

 

Kenta Maeda

Jose Berrios

Michael Pineda

J.A. Happ

Randy Dobnak

 

Devin Smeltzer and Lewis Thorpe are still in the picture, and Jordan Balazovic, Jhoan Duran and maybe Dakota Chalmers also could see time in 2021.

 

This shouldn’t come as too big a surprise, as the Twins were interested in Happ the last time he was a free agent. Twins Daily’s Tom Froemming uncovered this interesting bit of information regarding Happ last week:

 

 

That information is available on Happ’s Baseball Savant page. Happ ranked third in the league in HR-xHR with 2.9 in 2020 and was second in that stat at 9.3 in 2019. He’ll surely embrace a change of scenery.

 

Last season, Happ threw his 91 mph fastball 66% of the time, his slider 19% of the time and his changeup 14% of the time. He’ll also mix in a curveball sparingly. Information below also via Baseball Savant.

 

Download attachment: Screenshot 2021-01-20 at 4.40.30 PM.png

 

 

The $8 million deal matches what Toronto signed Robbie Ray for earlier this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors had Happ as their 41st ranked free agent and predicted he'd get a one-year, $6 million deal. FanGraphs had him ranked 45th and their Craig Edwards predicted he'd get this exact deal.

 

Happ had a $17 million option that would have been triggered had he made 10 starts or pitched 61 1/3 innings last season. The Yankees made sure he only made nine starts, and Happ wasn't too pleased about it.

 

(Tom Froemming contributed to this article as well)

 

SEE ALSO

Where Can the Twins Add the Most Value?

Why Didi Gregorius is the Best Shortstop Fit for the Twins

The 10 Best Twins Targets Among Remaining Free Agents

Free Agent Faceoff: Kiké Hernández vs. Tommy La Stella

 

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[AceWrigley]

It's Happ-ening.

[blindeke]

Happ-y days are here again.

[Danchat]

This is pretty similar to the Homer Bailey signing, just a guy to fill the #5 spot in the rotation. He won't move the needle much. Here's hoping for a Sonny Gray / Luis Castillo trade, or something in that vein.

[Mike Sixel]

Was hoping a rookie would take the number 5 spot, or a series of rookies until one stuck......

[TopGunn#22]

I was hoping more for a Paxton signing (at least we have a LHP in the rotation).

If they had to pay Happ at 38 yrs old $8 million what is Paxton worth/asking for ? 

I know we're all hoping for something BIG but this is about what the Twins ALWAYS do

 

With the exception of Donaldson.

 

 

[jmlease1]

I think this is a solid depth signing. He wasn't bad for the Yankees last year and isn't far removed from being really good. but we'll see how much he has left in the tank. I think  you always need depth in starting pitching, and this helps. price seems about right?

[jud6312]

They get me almost every year.  Someday though, someday I'll learn.

 

[jud6312]

And also ...

 

[CharlieDee]

 

Was hoping a rookie would take the number 5 spot, or a series of rookies until o

 

[TheMatt]

Pretty disappointed. Seems like a lot of money

[CharlieDee]

$8 mil for a 38 year old Happ?   

[Seth Stohs]

it's strange to me that $8 million for one year of a left-handed starting pitcher who has had a sub-4 ERA in 5 of the last 6 seasons is an 'overpay', but so many people want to pay Nelson Cruz whatever he wants... 

 

I like this signing. He's probably the Twins #3. He could be their top guy. Yes, he's 38, but he's not reliant on velocity. If he stays healthy, which he has, I think this is a really solid signing for the Twins. 

[jud6312]

 

 He's probably the Twins #3. He could be their top guy. 

 

If that's the case, they shouldn't even bother playing the season.

[howeda7]

I don't get being upset about it. At worst it's meh. He's basically Rich Hill without the post-season pedigree but far more reliable in the regular season.

[Out State Twin]

Good move as if the twins are out of the playoff hunt Happ can be traded for assets.

[drivlikejehu]

The salary isn't excessive - in a vacuum. My concern is that the Twins are financially limited and shouldn't be committing so much money to a 'depth' signing. 

 

This would seem to preclude the Twins from really improving this off-season - they have money remaining to sign Cruz OR one of the shortstops, but probably not both. 

 

I'm not going to declare the off-season a failure because maybe they will spend more than expected, or maybe they will pull of a significant trade or two. But after having been unconcerned as of last week, I'm now pretty worried.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Not excited by this signing, but two things I see going for it:

1. I had a vague impression of Happ as an older player at the end of the line, but some of the pitch data in this article above and this evaluation by Gleeman make me think there's more there

2. Last offseason, the Twins acquired more starting pitching than it looked like they needed. Some of those acquisitions were meant to raise the ceiling of the rotation and some were aimed more to raise the floor and to make sure there was depth on hand. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the latter kind of move, one that ensures another rotation spot is covered even if they don't get anyone else, but doesn't preclude a bigger addition.

[DocBauer]

I'm OK with this move. I'm not great with it, but I'm OK with it. He's very solid, deepens the rotation and provides a bridge for the young guys.

 

I like the move even more if Happ is part 1 of 2 parts and someone else is being brought on board.

[GNess]

Solid enough signing - a LH starter with a solid MLB resume. I am good with it. However, if this is the Twins' only SP move then the FO must really have confidence that one or more of Dobnak, Smeltzer, Duran or other youngster can produce. Not sure a team with world series aspirations would trust largely unproven SP to be central to the plan.

[h2oface]

Bummer. Another almost 40 year old starter to not be excited about. And they will pay him almost 2 million more than Berrios. Must make Berrios feel real valuable.

 

 

[MNT1996]

There's the big move! Amazing job, FO

[specialiststeve]

Solid fairly cheap signing for a 5th starter hopefully. Key is a 1 year deal that allows us to move on if our young studs are ready.... Get it we all want big names but this is decent for a 5th starter... 

[Brandon]

I will like this move more if we sign Oaklands former SS and Cruz. Then we are justified going lower cost on pitching. But Happy isn't a bad pitcher. Watch us resign him next offseason.

[4twinsJA]

Makes me think of 2 things, Twins trying to get one more year out of aging arm or maybe Twins are bullish on their young pitchers, want another year of development. 

[The Wise One]

I think it is more prudent to spend money on Happ than Marwin Gonzales. They are only going to spend so much...

 

Left handers seem to have some struggles with pitching for the Yankees.   For 1 year Paxton would be a better idea. I do believe that Boras is Paxton's agent. Better ideas do not happen very often to his clients. Often times it is a bad idea contract. 4 years of a contract that a healthy Paxton would be worth would be the goal for the agent. That is a bad idea for any team. 

[Strato Guy]

I like this move only if they acquire one more starter that is as good or better than Odorizzi. On a team that wants to be a force in the playoffs, we need someone better than Happ. I feel he will only be our the #4 starter.  

 

[ashbury]

No longer will we be Happless in the postseason!

 

He could be an asset. The context, of what else is done in the off-season, will determine whether to say "meh" or "good." It's the kind of signing a cellar-dweller might make while waiting for the next wave of prospects to arrive; or it could be a signing a contender makes to solidify the roster.

 

[Diesel]

Good signing for the 5th starter.... still need a bigger pitcher signing but I’m fine with this.

[DasBat]

Not terrible, not great. I agree it’s better than spending money on Gonzalez. Hopefully more to come