Overview
- The 35-year-old left-hander, who exercised an opt-out Monday per Jon Heyman, left his Reds minor-league deal to become a free agent.
- The opt-out clause let him leave because the Reds had not promoted him from Triple-A Louisville by the trigger date.
- He logged a 0.96 ERA over 9 1/3 innings at Louisville with eight strikeouts and six walks.
- Teams will weigh a recent velocity dip, roughly 85–88 mph this spring and at Triple-A, against his 2.41 ERA in the majors last year with the Nationals and Angels.
- Analysts note several likely fits for a veteran lefty—such as the Twins, Astros, Angels, Brewers, or Cubs—as he brings a 12-year career and a 3.35 MLB ERA.