Mike

Leake

Leake opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns over COVID-19 and he wants to see how “normal” things are this spring before deciding whether to pitch at some point this season. The 33-year-old had a 4.29 ERA over 31 starts between the Mariners and Diamondbacks in 2019 and still offers value as an innings-eater.

Leake has a $5 million buyout coming his way as he heads into free agency having opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about COVID-19. The soon-to-be 33-year-old registered a 4.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 127/27 K/BB ratio in 197 innings (32 starts) between the Mariners and Diamondbacks in 2019. Arizona has also declined a $3.5 million option on Junior Guerra and a $4 million option on Hector Rondon.

The Diamondbacks have confirmed the report. It was expected that some players would opt out of playing this year due to COVID-19 and Leake is the first. The specifics behind his decision aren’t clear. Players who are considered “high risk” will still get paid and receive service time. This doesn’t apply to someone who might have a high-risk situation with a family member at home. Leake was set to make a $16 million prorated this season -- around $5 million -- and his contract includes a $5 million buyout for 2021. The buyout won’t be impacted by him not playing this year. Regardless of the circumstances, you can’t blame any player who would prefer to sit out this year. Leake was set to begin the season with a rotation spot, but now presumably Merrill Kelly and Alex Young will compete for the fifth spot. This is assuming Zac Gallen already has a spot locked up.

Leake’s right arm will be ready for the start of the season, but whether he’ll be allowed to pitch in games then remains in question. The Diamondbacks still don’t want him trying to field his position or hit.

Leake can’t pitch in regular games yet because he’s still sporting a cast on his fractured left wrist, but it sounds like he could be cleared to catch the ball with his glove soon. “People have been flipping me balls and it’s been feeling normal,” Leake said. “It’s basically feeling normal to catch the ball. It’s not a line-drive impact. I can throw to essentially 45 feet and throw fine. So I guess that’s a progression.” The right-hander is making progress but could get a late start to the season.

The right-hander suffered a fracture in his left wrist during a fall while chasing his dog in early February. While he has been throwing regular bullpen sessions, he has yet to be cleared to pitch in a live game setting. Lovullo would like to see Leake work in five or six games and get up to around 90 pitches before the regular season begins -- and with each passing day that looks more unlikely. The good news for fantasy owners, is that even if he begins the season on the injured list, he should only miss a couple of weeks.

He suffered the injury during a fall while chasing his dog. Leake will have to keep the wrist immobilized for two weeks. The plan is for Leake to continue his throwing program, although he will have to pick up balls out of a bucket rather than catch balls from the catcher. The team believes Leake will still be ready to go in the first week of the regular season. The veteran right-hander has been a slightly better than average starter throughout his career, although a lack of strikeouts limits his fantasy appeal.

D’Backs manager Torey Lovullo said Leake’s wrist issue, which the team discovered during Tuesday’s physical, stems from a recent “fall at home.” Luckily the injury is to his non-pitching wrist. Leake’s MRI is considered precautionary, though obviously this setback will keep the right-hander out a few days. The 32-year-old didn’t bring much to the table last year, limping to a 4.29 ERA while striking out batters at a rate of just 5.8 Ks per nine innings. He was also among the league leaders in home runs allowed, serving up a ghastly 41 long balls over 32 starts for Seattle and Arizona.

Leake coughed up five hits, including a leadoff homer to Dexter Fowler, which represented the lone tally against him in his final start of the year. He struck out three batters and issued a pair of walks. The 31-year-old veteran right-hander allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his final six starts to close out the 2019 campaign. He finishes with a 4.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 127/27 K/BB ratio across 197 innings (32 starts). He also surrendered a major league-high 227 hits and 41 homers as well.

The Mike Leake Special is usually three or four runs over six innings, we get an extra two outs on Wednesday. He allowed two solo homers, didn’t walk anyone and struck out four in the win. The two roundtrippers mean he’s allowed 40 on the season, which is a lot even in the current state of baseball. His ERA drops to 4.38 with a 124/25 K/BB ratio over 192 innings with the Mariners and D-Backs. The final start of the season comes on Tuesday against the Cardinals.