In the final hours of Halloween night, the Chris Archer era in Pittsburgh officially came to a close.
Per the Major League Baseball Players Association and a source to DK Pittsburgh Sports, the Pirates declined their club option for 2021 worth $11 million on the right-hander Saturday, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. In lieu of the option, the Pirates must pay a $250,000 buyout.
If the option had been exercised, Archer would have been the Pirates' second-highest paid player for 2021, just behind the $11.6 million Gregory Polanco is due. Spotrac projects the Pirates' 2021 payroll to be $54.65 million, the fifth lowest in the majors. That is virtually identical to the figure the Associated Press reported the payroll was supposed to be in 2020 before the pandemic shortened the season.
Archer came to Pittsburgh in the already infamous deal that sent right-hander Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows and prospect Shane Baz to the Rays at the 2018 July trade deadline. Archer was a rare case of the Pirates acquiring a big-name player and a potential front-of-the-rotation pitcher. The eagerness to make such a deal came on the heels of an 11-game winning streak that catapulted the Pirates into the playoff conversation after missing the postseason the previous two years. He was also an attractive trade target because he was signed to what was viewed as a team-friendly contract and was poised to become a face of the franchise, like he was in Tampa.
The trade backfired spectacularly. Not only did Glasnow and Meadows become key contributors for a Rays team that finished 2020 with the most wins in the American League and won the pennant, but also Archer struggled with the Pirates, going 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA over 33 starts.
Despite being known as a strikeout artist with the Rays, the Pirates made Archer throw a sinker again, to disastrous results. The pitch was designed to get quick contact, which resulted in a drastic home run spike. While he did post better results after abandoning the pitch midseason in 2019, it was far from enough to salvage his season, let alone the trade.
That trade and his mishandling were major factors for the Pirates cleaning house in 2019, firing most of the coaching staff -- including manager Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage -- as well as general manager Neal Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly.
Regardless of his inauspicious start with the franchise, the new regime was eager to work with Archer entering the year, especially Derek Shelton, who knew Archer from his time as the Rays' hitting coach.
“The one thing about Chris Archer is he’s really good. But when he’s motivated, he’s even better,” Shelton said during PiratesFest in January. “And I think Arch thrives on people telling him he can’t do things. He’s going to prove to you that he can. I’m excited about Chris Archer this year. I’m excited talking to him, just knowing him as a person, hearing it in his voice, the way he is. I’m excited about where Arch is at.”
That never happened. Archer missed all of 2020 after undergoing surgery to relieve the symptoms of his thoracic outlet syndrome in June.
Injuries were a recurring theme with his time with the Pirates. Despite being on the injured list once in his seven seasons with the Rays, he made four separate trips in his time with the Pirates, including spending the regular season finale on the IL all three years he was with the club. He missed most of spring training in 2020 as well with a neck injury.
In his two full seasons with the Pirates, the club finished in last place twice, including finishing with the worst record in baseball in 2020.
Under normal circumstances, the Pirates could have considered exercising Archer's option and tried to trade him, either during the offseason or midseason next year, but most club options across the league have been declined as teams try to shed payroll amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That made it extremely unlikely that anyone would want the rehabbing 32-year-old Archer on a one-year, $11 million deal, let alone give up a player to acquire him at that price.
Not having Archer anymore does not change the 2021 rotation's outlook too much since he missed the 2020 regular season. Mitch Keller and Chad Kuhl look like locks for next year's rotation. Jameson Taillon is set to return from his second Tommy John surgery, and signs are pointing to him starting again. Steven Brault made a strong case for himself after posting a 3.38 ERA and leading the team's pitchers in WAR (0.6). Outside of those five, Joe Musgrove is a potential trade target, and Trevor Williams is at risk of being non-tendered or dealt as well after regressing last year and allowing the most home runs in baseball. If both depart, it would seemingly clear a spot for JT Brubaker, who showed signs of growth in his rookie season.
Archer will now join Keone Kela and Derek Holland as the club's major-league free agents this year. The Pirates will need to remove at least two more players from the 40-man roster by 5 p.m. Sunday so they can reactivate players from the injured list.