Phillies sign veteran reliever Chad Durbin to one-year deal
On Monday morning, the Phils front office added its second veteran arm this winter to the beleaguered, mostly-green bullpen. The Phils have reunited with veteran righthander Chad Durbin on a one-year contract that includes a team option for 2014.
Phillies sign veteran reliever Chad Durbin to one-year deal
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies lost 16 games last season that they had led in the 7th inning or later in 2012.
Despite signing Jonthan Papelbon to the richest contract for a reliever in baseball history, the rest of the bullpen was a collection of not-ready-for-prime time pitchers. A combination of injuries and ineffectiveness among the relievers was as big of an issue as any other for the Phillies.
On Monday morning, the Phils front office added its second veteran arm this winter to the beleaguered, mostly-green bullpen.
The Phils have reunited with veteran righthander Chad Durbin on a one-year contract that includes a team option for 2014. The deal was first reported by MLB.com.
According to ESPN.com, Durbin will make a guaranteed $1.1 million in 2013 and can earn an additional $300,000 in incentives.
Durbin, now 35, first joined the Phillies prior to the 2008 season. He was a vital cog in the team’s bullpen during their championship run that season and went 11-7 with a 3.62 ERA in 194 games with the Phils from 2008-10.
Durbin spent the last two seasons with Cleveland and Atlanta. He was 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 76 games with the Braves last season, striking out 49 while walking 28 in 61 innings.
Durbin is the second veteran reliever signed by GM Ruben Amaro Jr. this offseason, joining setup man Mike Adams. Adams and Durbin join a pen with Papelbon and lefty Antonio Bastardo.
The aforementioned collection of youngsters, led by Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus, Mike Stutes and Jeremy Horst, figure to compete for the final three spots in the pen this spring.
Durbin's deal with the Phillies is pending a physical.
De Fratus, Stutes and Horst make the big club and Aumont To LV as the closer in training. Like this Durbin deal it completes the pen.— BigT- Solid pick up...durbin and bastardo could split the 7th...our starters should be able to get through 6 more than almost any other NL team...this team will come back rejuvenated, hopefully the injuries are behind utley and Howard and we make a push...enough solid pieces to legitimately think we could win the east— Joey1233
- Looks to me to be one of the best moves of a rather unspectacular off-season.— Claudio Vernight
- you sanctimonous fraud --only a complete loser goes on the internet to wish for the eminent demise of someone he disagrees wiht -- go seek help your psychopathic tendencies before you harm yourslef or others — warbiscuit
- Good move. Like it.— BleedPhilly
- Hopefully the lefthanders in the pen can provide solid appearances.— MrPhillie
- He's a little young for the Phillies, don't you think?— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- With Durbin in place, I don't see any reason why the Phillies bullpen can't be just as effective in '13 as they were in '12.— fmMD
- all pitching no hitting doesnt work— SlimFox
- Well......I got nothin'.......which is what I thought Durbin had the last 3 years. Surprised by this move, but perhaps it'll help some of the young guys to pick another veteran's brain........— Mark1npt
- Can Jamie Moyer and Scott Eyre be far behind?— PhillySubsMac
- Scott Eyre waw a stud in 2008...I'd take him back if he was in shape.
— Professor1982 - why couldn't they have signed the other Durbin, you know, JD "the real deal"— Handsome B. Wonderful
- Like this move, he was terrific 7th and 8th set-up man when he was here. Phils threw away way too many late leads last year, they will be a lot better in the 7th and 8th this year. Solid addition!— Z-Force
- It's spelled sanctimonious.— Grazman
