J.A. Happ is a free agent, but the left-hander said he would be open to donning a Pirates uniform again in 2016. “It’s a team I would definitely consider, absolutely,” Happ said, via Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Happ thrived under pitching coach Ray Searage when the Pirates acquired him in a trade with the Mariners at the July 31 deadline. In 11 starts, he posted a 1.85 ERA with a 69/13 K/BB ratio over 63 1/3 innings. Happ has a career 4.13 ERA over parts of nine seasons in the majors.
As Travis Sawchik of the Tribune-Review reported back in August, Searage altered Happ’s delivery which previously had too much rotational movement and caused him to lower his arm slot.