Watch Live: Rays host Twins in Free Game of the Day
For the first time in a long time, Saturday’s start will be business as usual for Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer. With the non-waiver trade deadline five full days behind him, Archer knows where his home will be for at least the next two months, and that’s a luxury he hasn’t had prior to his last half dozen outings.
Granted, Archer did start Monday’s 3-0 loss to the Royals, but that came mere hours after the deadline passed. His mind was likely still running laps, if not for the rumors involving him, then because his longtime teammate and friend Matt Moore was sent to the San Francisco Giants.
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It’s a lot to take in and take on for everybody involved in the process, but now Archer has one job to do. That’s get himself back on track in a season that’s been chaotic on several levels, and certainly not as successful as he hoped. He’ll get an opportunity to begin turning that corner when he takes on the Minnesota Twins in the MLB Free Game of the Day on Yahoo Sports. You can stream the game at Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index and video home beginning at 6:10 p.m. ET.
The numbers tell the story. Archer’s 4.38 ERA is a full run higher than his next worst full season in MLB. His 161 strikeouts are second only to Justin Verlander in the American League, but his 52 walks are on pace to shatter his previous career-high of 72. He’s allowed 22 home runs in 137.2 innings. That’s already three more than his next worst season.
When you put all of that together, it’s no wonder he’s leading MLB with 15 losses.
With that in mind, everyone knows that Archer has the ability to turn it around, which is why he was highly sought after at the deadline. The previously mentioned Verlander is a good example of a pitcher who experienced a rough beginning to this season but found his groove. Over his seven outings, Verlander is among baseball’s hottest pitchers with a 1.85 ERA.
If Archer can pull off a similar turnaround, that could open up an even larger sweepstakes in the offseason as with Archer potentially under team control for five more seasons. He has three guaranteed seasons left on his contract, worth a total of just under $19M. He also has two team options valued at $9M and $11M respectively.
Given the extremely thin free agent market, that contract would be like adding a stud pitcher at a huge bargain, and it will cover Archer’s prime seasons as he’s still only 27.
That’s possibly Archer’s future. For now, his focus is Minnesota and figuring out a way into the win column.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
