Yankees Free Agent Profile: Joba Chamberlain

A year after the Yankees let Joba Chamberlain walk away in free agency and sign with the Detroit Tigers, the portly reliever is once again a free agent.  The right-hander spent most of the season as the primary setup man for closer Joe Nathan in the Tiger bullpen, and for much of the first half of the season seemed to excel in the role and from being out of the New York spotlight for the first time in his career.   

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However, Joba struggled in the second half and should have lost his eighth inning job to Joakim Soria after he was brought over from Texas, but Tiger manager Brad Ausmus stayed with the increasingly ineffective Joba.  After posting a 2.93 ERA in the first half, Joba’s strikeout rate dropped and walk rate jumped leading to a second half ERA approaching 5.

Joba made $2.5 million last season and is seeking a multiyear deal.  Who would give an oft injured former phenom that kind of contract is beyond me.  Joba is a one year and maybe a club option type of player at this point of his career.  Like most relievers, his effectiveness can vary widely from one year to the next or even one month to the next.  Right-handed relief pitchers are also not quite a dime a dozen in the majors, but they are close to it.  Seemingly every bullpen in the majors has at least one righty sitting there who throws 95+ mph.  Which, by the way, Joba can do no longer do.

The Yankee bullpen did fine last season without the erratic Chamberlain.  Assuming David Robertson, resigns there is no need for the Yankees to sign someone like Joba.  There is simply no real place or role for him.  He is simply not an upgrade over the main set up trio of Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, or Shawn Kelley.  Even as a second tier man in the bullpen the Yankees would be paying top dollar for a player who is only marginally better, at best, over their current options of Preston Claiborne, Esmil Rogers, David Phelps or Chase Whitley.

Even if Robertson bolts via free agency, the Yankees have more than enough depth to overcome the loss without adding Joba.  Betances would be the new closer and either Warren or Kelley would be the likely candidates for 8^th inning.  Remember, last winter Betances was not even in the conversation for replacing Robertson as the primary set up man.

The Yankees should pass on the one time phenom and former heir apparent to the great Mariano Rivera.  He is too expensive and does not fill a need.  The bullpen that has been assembled by the Bombers is deep and effective without Joba.