Rich Harden was a bust for the Rangers after signing a one-year, $7.5 million deal last winter, posting a 5.58 ERA in 92 innings. Despite his lengthy injury history it was the first time that Harden’s performance ceased being fantastic, but Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that at least seven teams “have checked in” on the 29-year-old right-hander.
Morosi lists the Yankees, Twins, Rays, Diamondbacks, Brewers, Mariners, and Rockies among the interested teams, but adds that “some like him as a starter... some like him as a reliever.”
Harden moving to the bullpen in an effort to stay healthy makes plenty of sense, but it’s no longer safe to simply assume he’d be dominant as a reliever even if he can remain healthy. His average fastball velocity dropped to a career-low 90.5 miles per hour this year and has gradually declined from his peak of 94.3 and 94.4 mph in 2004 and 2005.