Twins Sign RHP Dylan Bundy

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins announced today that they have signed right-handed pitcher Dylan Bundy to a one-year contract with an option for 2023. 

In 2011, Dylan Bundy was the fourth overall draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles from Owasso High School in Oklahoma. Because of his draft status, he immediately became one of the top prospects in baseball. He signed a five-year MLB contract starting in 2012, and received a $4 million signing bonus. 

He made two late-inning appearances for the Orioles in 2012 and worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings over two games. Unfortunately, at that point injuries derailed his career. He did not return to the big leagues until 2016 when he posted a 4.02 ERA over 109 2/3 innings in 36 games. That season, he split time between the bullpen and rotation. Since 2017, he has been used exclusively as a starter. 

Now 29, Bundy went 2-9 with a 6.06 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in 19 starts. In 90 2/3 innings for the Angels, he walked 34 and struck out 84 batters. He ended the season on the 60-Day Injured List with a shoulder injury. 

It was a tough season following a 2020 season in which he finished ninth in AL Cy Young voting. He went 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 11 starts and 65 2/3 innings. He also struck out 72 batters and walked just 17. He was in a lot of rumors at that season's trade deadline. The Twins certainly are hoping that he returns to that form. 

Bundy will make $4 million in 2022. The Twins will also have the option of bringing him back in 2023 for $11 million or buying out that option for $1 million. 

When he was drafted, he was known for his 100 mph fastball. In 2021, his average fastball velocity was 90.8 mph. Of course, in his successful 2020 season, his fastball velocity was 90.2. Bundy also throws a slider about 21% of the time, and it comes in the low 80s. He also throws a slower curve in the mid-70s and a changeup in the low-80s. As a four-pitch pitcher, he remains intriguing. In 2021, he threw each of his pitches at least 13.8% of the time. It will be interesting to see what Wes Johnson and Pete Maki saw in Bundy that they might be able to tinker with to try to bring out his best performance. 

Bundy slots into the Twins starting rotation with Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan. Others currently in line for a possible rotation spot include Randy Dobnak, Griffin Jax, Lewis Thorpe and prospects such Jordan Balazovic, Jhoan Duran and Josh Winder. 

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[LewFordLives]

Well...I guess they have to fill out a rotation with someone. 

I like the team option if he can recapture the magic.

[nicksaviking]

I’m thinking this won’t generate the excitement the team was hoping for. 
 

Eagerly awaiting further commentary.

[mikelink45]

Please this is not good news. Homer Bailey part Two. 

[ScottyB]

He’ll be cut by June. Worse pickup than Happ was last year.

[Linus]

I don’t mind this. Some bounce back potential and the money is small enough they could just cut him if he stinks. Could also be flipped at the deadline if (when) the Twins don’t contend. 

[Brandon]

If we can help Bundy control the HRs allowed he can be good.  He doesn't walk alot of people and he K's a fair amount.  but he gives up 1.5 HRs per 9 and last year 2.0 per 9.  in 2020 he allowed .7 and was in the CY Young conversation.  His other numbers hits, walks, and K's are pretty constant.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Hurray!

[Shs_2]

I did not even know he was a FA.  This is a perfectly acceptable move.

I'd rather have Bundy for 5 million

Than Robbie Ray for 115

Or Gausman for 110+

And even Stroman w/ Cubbies we'll see about the money (which I'm guessing is 60 million or more)

I mean the Mets W/ Mad Max might spend 250 million this year!!

[nicksaviking]

9 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Please this is not good news. Homer Bailey part Two. 

He has a much better pitcher name than Homer Bailey. 
 

Trying to decide if he’s more similar to Ted or Al though.

[KnoblauchWasFramed]

This is a complete joke of a signing at this point of the offseason.  Career 46-67 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.308 WHIP.  He would have easily been available a month or two from now.  Meanwhile, the Cubs just signed Marcus Stroman for what will for sure be a contract that the Twins could have matched.  Every top starter and reliever are already gone... JUST LIKE THE TWINS WANTED.  Now they don't have to spend the next month and a half acting as if they were seriously going to try to sign any of the Top 10 Free Agent Starters or Relievers.  

Once again the Twins made one signing for the fans because they had no choice and now they'll get right back to the dumpster diving we have all allowed ourselves to come accustomed to.  Get ready for some Top Flight names like Chris Archer, Adam Wainwright, Michael Fiers, Matt Harvey, Jon Lester, etc etc etc.  coming our way

 

And any of y'all thinking there are going to be any medium names brought in by a trade are high.  When has that EVER happened?  Part with a minimum wage minor league player for a $10M contract?  

[nicksaviking]

11 minutes ago, ScottyB said:

He’ll be cut by June. Worse pickup than Happ was last year.

Well he is 3M cheaper than Happ. Also, 3M more than Shoemacher. So just expect something in the middle of those two.

[TheMatt]

This is a good March signing. Not so good considering Rodon is possibly the best starter left available 

[ToriiRules!!]

Dumpster diving???

[Azviking101]

I wasn't aware his fastball velocity was only 90 nowadays. Thought he still was in the mid 90s

[KnoblauchWasFramed]

6 minutes ago, Shs_2 said:

I did not even know he was a FA.  This is a perfectly acceptable move.

I'd rather have Bundy for 5 million

Than Robbie Ray for 115

Or Gausman for 110+

And even Stroman w/ Cubbies we'll see about the money (which I'm guessing is 60 million or more)

I mean the Mets W/ Mad Max might spend 250 million this year!!

Clearly you're looking to Troll everyone with this comment.  So well played sir, well played.  Saying you'd take Dylan Bundy over the reigning Cy Young Award winner is just brilliant.  

[Rigby]

At least he will keep the fans from dozing off in the outfield bleachers while he's on the mound....assuming the need to open the outfield bleachers this year of course.

[RedBull34]

Ugh.  This doesnt move the meter for me at all.

[RedneckRay]

6 minutes ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

Get ready for some Top Flight names like Chris Archer, Adam Wainwright, Michael Fiers, Matt Harvey, Jon Lester, etc etc etc.  coming our way

Adam Wainright was very good last year, and signed an extension in 2021. I agree with the rest of the pitchers though.

[Prince William]

3 minutes ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

Clearly you're looking to Troll everyone with this comment.  So well played sir, well played.  Saying you'd take Dylan Bundy over the reigning Cy Young Award winner is just brilliant.  

It is not a troll move. A person can think that players having career years will regress and/or have age decline by age 33-34. You would then prefer to have a lottery ticket that performed well once for one year than a large contract that goes belly up. 

[Connor Gould]

Twins looking inspired by the 2021 Giants blueprint. Gausman and DeScalfani being middle aged guys with long track records of #5 starters after being top prospects so long ago that no one cares, and the Giants unlock both of them for cheap in a jackpot offseason. Bundy fits that profile of former top prospect who is now a journeyman #4/5, small chance he becomes more but maybe we’re lucky. Either way, we need bodies in the rotation.

[jmlease1]

Context matters. Right now this looks like a "meh" sort of move that's closer to lottery ticket than solid signing, and after the botch up with Happ and Shoemaker last season, the Twins FO hasn't earned a lot of benefit of the doubt that they can knock out a bounce back season. The cost is fine, and if Bundy is healthy and keeping the ball in the park then he's a solid pitcher. He finished the season a heck of lot better than he started it, but he also didn't pitch in September, and it's fair to be worried about any shoulder injury from a pitcher, especially one you've just bought low on.

As part of a bigger design to fill up the rotation, I'm ok with this. As a consolation prize for missing on apparently every front line starter with consistent track records of success, this is trash. If every one of the top 15 (20?) FA pitchers sign with someone else, then the Twins damn well better deal for someone or they're damn liars about competing in 2022.

[Prince William]

16 minutes ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

This is a complete joke of a signing at this point of the offseason.  Career 46-67 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.308 WHIP.  He would have easily been available a month or two from now.  Meanwhile, the Cubs just signed Marcus Stroman for what will for sure be a contract that the Twins could have matched.  Every top starter and reliever are already gone... JUST LIKE THE TWINS WANTED.  Now they don't have to spend the next month and a half acting as if they were seriously going to try to sign any of the Top 10 Free Agent Starters or Relievers.  

Once again the Twins made one signing for the fans because they had no choice and now they'll get right back to the dumpster diving we have all allowed ourselves to come accustomed to.  Get ready for some Top Flight names like Chris Archer, Adam Wainwright, Michael Fiers, Matt Harvey, Jon Lester, etc etc etc.  coming our way

 

And any of y'all thinking there are going to be any medium names brought in by a trade are high.  When has that EVER happened?  Part with a minimum wage minor league player for a $10M contract?  

the Twins can finding 2-3 Adam Wainrights would be playoff heaven. they might could beat the Yankees

[Mike Sixel]

Cheap, short term, bad pitcher. That's all this from office signs. Ugh. 

[KirbyDome89]

inb4 "payroll flexibility," "Wes Johnson tweak," "low risk"......yuck

[SF Twins Fan]

Barf....that is all.

[mk]

If this is the only FA the front office can get to come to MN it would be more entertaining to just say screw it and watch Ober, Ryan, Balazovic, Duran, Sands, et al. At least I have hope for them to be good.

[GoMNTwins]

So they were "in on" Robbie Ray, and have been linked to no one else... and then they signed Baseball Blake Bortles. That tracks. 

[RJA]

Well, it is obvious that the front office hasn't learned a thing from last year's fiasco.  Like I said a few days ago, they are the dog at the dinner table waiting for free agent scraps to fall on the floor.  Bundy is one of the scraps.  It is sad, really.  

[ashbury]

Came here to pump the brakes a little on the ticker tape parade forming over the signing of a sore-shouldered pitcher with a name familiar to certain strata of fans.

Looks instead like the parade is stalled in the fairgrounds parking lot. My services will not be required today, after all.