The Rockies have a deal with reliever Bryan Shaw, according to a tweet from Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Buster Olney of ESPN tweets that the deal is for three years, with Shaw earning “something in the range of” $9 million per year.
Shaw has long been one of the most durable relief arms in baseball, appearing in at least 70 games in each season since 2013, all with the Indians. Over those 5 seasons, Shaw has combined to pitch in 378 games with a solid 3.11 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9.
In 2017, Shaw pitched to a career-worst but still respectable 3.52 ERA over 79 appearances, allowing just five home runs in 762⁄3 innings of work, while striking out 73 batters and picking up three saves. It’s important to note that Shaw’s FIP was a career-best 2.96, however.
This deal came together at the Winter Meetings, and it will send the longtime Cleveland Indians right-hander to another team coming off a playoff berth.
Greg Holland remains a free agent, but the Rockies now have one of the more consistent setup men available. Shaw generated interest from the New York Mets and received multiyear offers from two teams,according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Shaw became part of one of baseball’s better bullpens of this decade, teaming over the past two seasons with Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. That trio helped the Indians to a 3-1 World Series lead in 2016 and the best record in the American League last season. Shaw served as the first of the setup men in Terry Francona’s top-flight relief crew.
He has pitched in one American League Wild Card Game, one NLDS, two ALDS, one ALCS, and one World Series. Shaw has pitched in the postseason four times in his career. In the postseason, Shaw has a record of 2-1, an ERA of 2.45, with 19 appearances, in 22.0 innings, with six walks, and 22 strikeouts. Shaw did give up the winning run in the 2016 World Series against the Chicago Cubs in extra innings.
