D-backs sign Rondon to 1-year deal, designate Sherfy for assignment
Jan 9, 2020, 11:05 AM | Updated: 11:11 am
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks have added another arm to the bullpen, agreeing to a one-year deal with reliever Hector Rondon, the team announced Thursday.
The deal was first reported by The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan.
Rondon, 31, spent the last two seasons in Houston with the Astros. Used some as a closer in 2018 with 15 saves, Rondon over the last two years has thrown 119.2 innings for the Astros with a 3.46 ERA and 1.287 WHIP.
The right-hander is a seven-year veteran, playing his first five seasons with the Chicago Cubs, where he totaled 77 saves and a 3.22 ERA over 296.1 innings.
In a corresponding move, the team has designated reliever Jimmie Sherfy for assignment.
Sherfy, 28, made his MLB debut in 2017 when he threw 10.2 scoreless innings in his 11 appearances. Despite building off that with three earned runs in 16.1 innings the following season, Sherfy never earned the trust of the D-backs for a legitimate role. He spent a majority of the 2019 season in Triple-A with the Reno Aces, where he had a 3.60 ERA over 35.0 innings with 12 saves.
With the addition of Rondon, the D-backs have now added him and Junior Guerra into the mix for late-inning work alongside Archie Bradley.
Andrew Chafin and Yoan Lopez are among the other names returning to Arizona’s bullpen as well.