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5 reasons Melancon is in high demand
- Updated: November 24, 2016
Nothing brings a team peace of mind like having a rock-solid closer at the back of its bullpen, and this offseason offers the most talented crop of free-agent closers in recent history.
The current record contract for a closer — the four-year, $50 million contract Jonathan Papelbon signed with the Phillies in November 2011 — figures to be shattered in the coming weeks when superstars Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen choose their next clubs. But a third closer, Mark Melancon, has been nearly as dominant since he was traded by the Red Sox to the Pirates prior to the 2013 season.
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Melancon will turn 32 in March and doesn’t boast the eye-popping velocity or strikeout totals of Chapman or Jansen, but he presents an extremely cost-effective option for the many clubs — including contenders such as the Cubs, Giants, Nationals and Yankees — who figure to be in the market for a closer this offseason.
As part of our continuing series, here are five reasons Melancon should generate plenty of interest on the free-agent market in the coming weeks:
Saving the day, again and again No reliever — not even Chapman or Jansen — has tallied more saves than Melancon’s 131 since 2014, the year in which he assumed the Pirates’ full-time closer role for good. Melancon has been particularly effective when entering with a lead of at least two runs, as he has blown only …
