Antonio Bastardo Avoids Arbitration With Phillies

Phillies avoided arbitration with left-handed relief pitcher by agreeing to a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

The left-hander has posted a nice 3.44 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 12.4 K/9 rate over the lat two years for the Phillies but hasn't really grabbed the set-up role like the Phillies have hoped.  This season he should be more effective pitching in front of Mike Adams as the seventh inning guy, which should make him more effective.

Last spring, Bastardo entered camp with a lack of velocity that might have been a factor in his season, but you can pencil him in as one of the arms that will be making the big league club in 2013 unless an injury derails him.

In 65 games for Philadelphia last season, Bastardo posted a 2-5 record with one save, a 4.33 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 52.0 innings.  He ranked third among all major league relievers in strikeouts per nine innings (14.02), trailing only Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel (16.66) and Cincinnati’s Aroldis Chapman (15.32).  The 27-year-old also held opposing batters to a .207 average (40-193), including a .169 average (14-83) against left-handed hitters.  Originally signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in February of 2005, Bastardo is 12-9 with nine saves and a 4.02 ERA in 160 career games.

Bastardo was the last remaining arbitration-eligible player for the Phillies this offseason.