Red Sox Top 6 Free Agent Pitcher Targets In 2015

#5 – Jeff Samardzija

The 30-year-old righty from Indiana has played for the Chicago Cubs, the Oakland Athletics, and the Chicago White Sox in the past two seasons. However, with the White Sox struggling most of this year, Samardzija may have wanted to be traded one more time in July.

In June, Samardzija’s opposing batting average was .315, while it was .188 for July. One could make the argument that he was trying to play as best as he could to look enticing to other clubs, whether he would admit that or not.

For 2015, Samardzija has a record of 8-10, with a 4.75 ERA and 134 strikeouts. At $9.8 million, his worth has a projection of a 12-13 record, a 4.62 ERA, and 174 strikeouts in over 218 innings. In his last seven starts, he’s 2-5, with a whopping 6.75 ERA. Not exactly setting the world on fire.

Everything about Samardzija’s pitches is about fastball-mentality. He’s got a four-seamer and two-seamer, which are both clocked at 94 mph and uses them 40% of the time. He splits time between his slider and cutter, with a split-fingered fastball sprinkled in at 85 mph. However, in two starts in Fenway Park, Samardzija’s pitches equaled nine runs, seven earned, with the Red Sox hitting .282 in nine innings of work.

If the Red Sox go for Samardzija, it would have to be for a decent price. He once had ace potential, but he’s more of a supportive pitcher, at least by his 2015 efforts.