A Reunion with Mark Melancon Could Make Sense for the Yankees

The New York Yankees could shore up their thin bullpen this offseason by reuniting with longtime farmhand Mark Melancon who will be a free agent after 2016.

Trading away Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman at the deadline netted the New York Yankees an enormous haul of young talent and gave them perhaps the game’s best farm system. Those were absolutely the right moves for the team at the time.

However, as the Yankees reload for a run in 2017, bringing in at least one shutdown this offseason feels like a must. Anthony Swarzak has been pitching in the late innings of close games this month. There is no excuse for that, even on a rebuilding club.

Dellin Betances is obviously the best relief pitcher on planet Earth. That’s a good start. Beyond him things are pretty dicey though. Adam Warren and Tyler Clippard? Not thrilling at this point, but find as middle relief. The Yankees need to do better for the 7th and 8th innings if they want to contend next year. Better yet, bring in a closer and let Betances go back to his fireman role. 

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The free agent market this winter features three elite closers: Chapman, Kenley Jansen, and Mark Melancon. Coming into Monday, all three ranked among the top 15 in wins above replacement for all qualified MLB relievers.

Chapman and Jansen are clearly a step above Melancon in terms of their overwhelming dominance, but at the same time, their price tags this offseason will reflect that. Melancon could end up being a relative bargain compared to what they are expected to earn.

Just compare what the Cubs gave up for Chapman with what the Nationals traded for Melancon. Chicago sent the Yankees Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren, and Rashad Crawford. One legitimate blue-chipper, another Top 100 type guy, a proven reliever, and a lottery ticket. Washington got Melancon for two OK lefty relievers.

There is no comparison between those packages, but Chapman and Melancon have produced very similar results in 2016. Melancon may not throw 105, but he has been a very effective.

Over the last four years, Melancon has compiled a sparkling 1.77 ERA and 2.23 FIP in 269.2 innings for the Pirates and Nationals. He has struck out 24% of the batters he’s faced, walked 4%, and gotten an incredible 57.2% groundball outs.

His GB% has dipped to a more pedestrian 51.8% this year, but otherwise there are no signs of decline in his stuff, results, or peripheral stats.

It’s worth noting that Melancon was originally drafted by the Yankees in the ninth round way back in 2006 and spent his first five seasons as a professional in their organization, even making his major league debut in the Bronx. He had a 4.87 ERA in 20.1 innings with New York.

He left the organization before the 2010 July trade deadline along with Jimmy Paredes in the deal that brought in Lance Berkman. The Yankees front office has made a habit of bringing back old pals this season, including Clippard, Warren, Nick Swisher, and Phil Coke. Why not add Melancon to the list?

David Robertson‘s four years and $46 million is probably a fair comp for what Melancon could get. Robertson was two years younger than Melancon, but with inflation it’s probably pretty close. The biggest contract given to a reliever last offseason was four years and $31 million for Darren O’Day, but of course Melancon gets the “Proven Closer” bump.

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Are the Yankees going to want to spend that kind of dough on a reliever when they’re trying to get under the luxury tax next season? They do have some money coming off the books, and could have even more if they shop guys like Brett Gardner and Brian McCann.

It’s possible they just reallocate some of that money towards a guy like Jansen or Melancon rather than completely paring payroll down to nothing.