Diamondbacks sign Randy Wolf to a minor league deal

Mar 12, 2014; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Randy Wolf (28) pitches against the Chicago Cubs at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Well that didn’t take long. In an effort to address problems with starting pitching results and depth, the Diamondbacks signed veteran Randy Wolf to a minor league deal Friday. The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro first reported that the two sides were close to a deal, and Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal tweeted that Wolf will start for Triple A Reno as soon as Monday. The veteran Wolf has not pitched in the major leagues since 2012 due to Tommy John Surgery. His last consistent work in the majors was with the Milwaukee Brewers before the injury.

Wolf signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners in the off-season and pitched for them in spring training. He was informed by the team that he had made the big league club as the team’s fifth starter. Wolf then requested his release when Seattle asked him to sign a 45-day advance-consent release clause that would allow the team to release him and pay him just a pro-rated portion of his guaranteed salary for any reason unless in the case of injury.

General Manager Kevin Towers did say that he planned to add a veteran to the rotation on a minor league deal and Wolf fits the bill. According to MLB Trade Rumors, “The 14-year veteran owns a career 4.20 ERA with 7.0 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 39 percent ground-ball rate with the Phillies, Brewers, Padres, Dodgers, Orioles and Astros. The final season of the three-year, $28.5MM contract he signed with the Brewers didn’t turn out well, as he wound up posting a 5.65 ERA in 157 2/3 innings between Milwaukee and Baltimore that year before being diagnosed with a torn UCL.”

Wolf will provide some depth in the rotation that this team desperately needs. Coming into play today, Dbacks starters own a 6.57 era the second worst mark in all of baseball only ahead of the Minnesota Twins. Both Trevor Cahill and Randall Delgado have struggled this season and if there struggles continue you could see Wolf enter the rotation and possibly Josh Collmenter who was extended in Wednesday’s game to prepare for a possible return to the rotation.