Pittsburgh Pirates: Free Agent Left Handed Relief Options
By Jeffrey Cupp

Daniel Norris
Daniel Norris is another starter who’s transitioned to the bullpen, pitching out of the pen for both the Cubs and Tigers this past season, posting a 5.22 ERA and 5.14 FIP across 58.2 innings with 66 strike outs. The surface numbers aren’t pretty, but Norris was dealt to the TIgers mid-season and posted a 3.81 ERA and 4.68 FIP across 28.2 innings.
Norris throws mainly a fastball, slider, and change-up. His fastball, while on the slower side, has spin rates in the top 74 percentile per Baseball Savant, though it also get hit hard to the tune of a .398 wOBA. His slider and change-up generate a lot of whiffs, however, with whiff rates of 37.4% and 41.2% respectively.
The underlying numbers look a lot better, as well. Norris’s 30% strike out rate ranks 10th among left-handed relievers with at least 30 innings pitched last season. He also posted a 3.99 xFIP, indicating that his ERA could be inflated, considering he gave up home runs well above his career averages.
Adding Norris would give the Pittsburgh Pirates a swing & miss pitcher as well as a guy who could cover multiple innings, a trait the team typically values. Norris is likely the most inexpensive guy on this list and with his whiff-generating stuff could be a great low-cost addition to the bullpen.