Twins cut their losses and DFA Phil Hughes
With injuries sapping his effectiveness, the Minnesota Twins have designated Phil Hughes for assignment.
After never quite fulfilling his promise with the New York Yankees, Phil Hughes signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Minnesota Twins in December 2013. He delivered nicely in 2014, winning 16 games with a 0.7 BB/9 rate and a major league-record 11.6 K/BB ratio. But injuries have diminished him since then, to the tune of a 5.99 ERA since the start of the 2016 season, and after Monday night’s game the Twins designated Hughes for assignment.
After that sparkling 2014 campaign, the Twins signed Hughes to a three-year, $42 million contract extension on top of his original deal. He dropped-off in 2015 (11-9, 4.40 ERA over 155.1 innings), then two operations for thoracic outlet syndrome have marred the last two full seasons. In seven appearances this year, including two starts, Hughes has a 6.75 ERA.
That contract extension for Hughes was ill-conceived from the start, amid multiple mistakes made by the Twins’ previous front office regime led by general manager Terry Ryan. Now the deal is a significant sunk cost for the Twins, with over $22 million remaining on it.
Roughly $22.57 million left on Hughes' contract. #mntwins are responsible for all of it unless a trade can be worked out in next 7 days.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) May 22, 2018
Rival scout: "Nobody's going to take that. They're going to have to eat that money."
If #mntwins can't find any takers for Hughes, it appears his $22.57 million would top the list of current MLB dead money, per @fangraphs. Easily outdistances Pablo Sandoval ($18.45 M from BOS) and Adrian Gonzalez ($17.5 M from ATL).
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) May 22, 2018
Manager Paul Molitor said Hughes was not asked if he’d accept a minor league assignment before the decision was made to DFA him. It’s possible he’ll willing go down to Triple-A Rochester, and render a move to another team moot, but a potential landing spot with familiar coaches has already been mentioned.
Keep an eye on #Tigers as a potential landing spot for Phil Hughes. He had a long talk with #Tigers bullpen coach Rick Anderson today and publicly thanked Anderson for his contributions as PC after their record-setting 2014 season that led to ill-fated, 3-year extension.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) May 22, 2018
The Detroit Tigers, with former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire as manager and former Twins’ pitching coach Rick Anderson as bullpen coach, happen to be in town playing the Twins early this week. But the Tigers, or any other team, would be wise to wait for the Twins to release Hughes and take him on the far lower risk of a minor league contract.
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Ervin Santana is finally nearing a return from a finger injury, and Trevor May might enter the mix for a rotation spot at some point as he continues a minor league rehab assignment coming back from Tommy John surgery. So Hughes was probably not long for a spot on the Twins’ pitching staff, and cutting ties now should benefit him if there’s an opportunity to be found elsewhere.