MLB: Cliff Lee Healthy to Pitch Again, Wants to Return in 2016
Cliff Lee missed the entire 2015 season due to injury and is already 37 years old. However, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner wants to return in 2016 if ever a team is willing to take a chance and sign him to a contract.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Lee has started throwing again and has received a medical clearance. He is said to be willing to wait and find the right team the will fit him the most before signing a deal.
The 37-year-old left-hander sat out all of last season to rehabilitate a flexor tendon tear on his left elbow that kept him on the disabled list, limiting him to only 13 starts in 2014. He still had a $27.5 million left from the five-year, $120 million contract he signed in 2011, but the Philadelphia Phillies bought out his contract for the 2016 season for $12.5 million, per FOX Sports.
When he was diagnosed with the injury, Lee even admitted the possibility that his career might be over in an interview with USA Today last March. "So basically if I have the surgery this season will be done, possibly my career I guess. I don't know," Lee said.
Three doctors have advised the four-time all-star that elbow surgery was not needed. "All three are the best in that area, and they all said last year it's in the upper 90s percent chance it'll heal just fine with rest and like [three percent] chance you might need surgery," he added.
It seems that doctors are correct and he has been medically cleared to pitch again, but his market probably will not be very high. According to NJ Advance Media Group, Lee will likely end up with a non-guaranteed contract with an invite to the 2016 spring training as a non-roster player. It is noted that he might want to sign with an MLB team that is close to his home in Arkansas.
The report also speculates the teams that might sign Lee including the Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. SB Nation also suggests that the left-hander may be a fit for the San Francisco Giants because of their pitcher-friendly ballpark, a well-respected pitching coach, a future Hall of Fame manager, and a championship contending team.
Lee won the Cy Young Award while playing for the Cleveland Indians in 2008 and made two trips to the World Series with the Phillies and Rangers in 2009 and 2010, respectively. He has a career record of 143-91 with a 3.52 ERA and 1,824 strikeouts, per Baseball Reference. He also has a reputation of being a postseason performer with a 7-3 record and 2.52 ERA in the playoffs.
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