Peter Moylan and the Braves continued talks over the weekend about a possible return of the the popular Aussie reliever for what would be a third stint with the team where his major league career began.
Moylan, 39, came back from a second Tommy John elbow surgery and had a career revival the past two seasons with the Royals, posting a 3.46 ERA in 129 appearances over that span and tying for the majors lead with 79 appearances in 2017
The right-handed sidearmer had a 3.49 ERA and .189 opponents’ average with 46 strikeouts in 59-1/3 innings in 2017, with a .1.096 WHIP (walks-plus-hits per inning pitched) that was his lowest in a full season since 2007, when he had a 1.067 WHIP as a 28-year-old Braves rookie. Moylan had a 1.80 ERA in 90 innings over 80 appearances that year in his first full season in the big leagues.
He made 80 or more appearances three times in a four-year span through 2010 with the Braves, the only exception coming in 2008 when he missed most of the season recovering from his first Tommy John surgery. He came back to make a career-high 87 appearances the next season in 2009.
Moylan had a 2.44 ERA over 259 appearances with the Braves during 200710. He was coming back from his second TJ surgery when he signed a unique two-year minor league deal with the Braves during 2015 spring training, a deal designed to allow Moylan to use the first season of the pact rehabbing, pitching in the minors and serving as a player-coach for the Braves’ Danville rookie-league team.
When the Braves needed help in their bullpen in 2015, he was fast-tracked to the big leagues by late summer instead of going to Danville. He pitched in 22 games for the Braves that season, the major league call-up effectively voiding the second year of the minor league deal and making him a free agent.
After signing with the Royals, Moylan had a solid 3.43 ERA in 50 appearances in 2016, which he hoped would be enough to attract some major league offers the offseason. That didn’t happen, likely because of his age and medical history – shoulder and back surgeries in addition to the elbow procedures – and Moylan settled for a non-guaranteed deal to return to the Royals in 2017.
With a slimmed-down physique, he again proved how durable he could be last season and drew interest from several teams early in the offseason including the Royals and the Braves, who could use a veteran with his experience and outgoing nature among their still-youthful bullpen.
When major league camps opened last week Moylan and plenty of other free agents were still awaiting firm offers.
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