Atlanta Braves newest reliever: Anthony Swarzak in depth

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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 22: Anthony Swarzak #43 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 2016, in the Bronx borough of New York City. Boston (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

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The 2015 season saw Swarzak start as a regular in the Indians bullpen.

After 10 games where he pitched to a respectable looking 3.38 ERA, struck out 13, walked 4 and notched 1.156 WHIP in 13-1/3 innings, Cleveland sent him to AAA.

Six outings totaling five innings later, they DFA’d Swarzak. He signed with Doosan a month later and pitched the remainder of 2015 in Korea.

The Yankees signed him in January of 2016 and called him up in July. He pitched just 31 innings over 26 games for the Yankees, spent 26 days on the DL with rotator cuff inflammation at the end of August and into September, finishing with a 5.56 ERA. The Yankees DFA’d him after the season, but he refused the assignment and became a free agent.

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The White Sox signed him to a Minor League deal in 2017, and suddenly the now 31-year-old righty was a dependable reliever again. He tossed 48-1/3 innings over 41 games with a 2.23 ERA,1.034 WHIP, striking out 52 and walking 13.

The Brewers liked that so much they added him for their postseason chase. He performed sterling work for The Crew as well; 29-1/3 IP in 20 games with a 2.48 ERA, striking out 39 and walking 14.

That season gave him his big payday when the Mets signed him to a two-year $17M deal.

He might wish he’d signed elsewhere for a bit less.

The Mets and a bad year

Now it’s 2018. Swarzak appeared in two games for the Mets before going on the DL with a strained left Oblique that cost him all of April and May. He returned the New York, and it looks as if he came back too soon and tried too hard to justify his deal.

In 20 outings he managed just 18-1/3 innings, striking out 21, walking 9, while allowing 13 runs – all earned – on 23 hits including four home runs. That translates to a 6.27 ERA, and a 1.716 WHIP.

On August 5, the Mets placed him on the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflammation. He returned in September and appeared in seven more times, tossing 5 1/3 frames, allowing four runs on four hits including a homer and a 6.75 ERA.

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