Boone Logan pain free, focused in contract year

DENVER – Very quietly, Boone Logan has been the best reliever on the Colorado Rockies in 2016, and he may just be the best left-handed-one-out guy in baseball. Because of this, and where his club is in record-wise, he has been the subject of trade rumors. With one year left on his contract, the free agency signing from before the 2014 season has finally paid off.

In 26.2 innings over 39 appearances, he has allowed just eight earned runs on 15 hits and 10 walks. Meanwhile, he’s struck out 32 batters. Out of the 32 runners he has inherited, he has allowed just four to score. His sick pitching year is much different than what the Rockies saw from him in 2014 when he sported a close-to-seven ERA.

“It helps that my mind is cleared of feeling pain,” the lefty Logan lamented. “Baseball has been fun since I’ve been healthy again. That’s all it really is. I’m healthy and I’ve got my focus back. No more feeling pain in my arm all the time, that’s all it really is.”

Over his career, he has been exceptional across six different seasons, which is remarkable for a reliever. However, 2016 may just be his best year to date. According to ERA+, his 189 metric is 40 points higher than any other year in his career. Even his WHIP is below one, which is just nasty.

“My ability to pitch is entirely health-related,” he said. “And consistency comes into play with being healthy or unhealthy. I’m healthy now and even if I wasn’t healthy the last two years, the timing of me being healthy is more important since we are a more competitive team this year. Despite how large my contract was these last three years, I’m thankful that I’m healthy this year. We do have a chance to get there this year and I’m just fortunate and thankful that I’m here and healthy for it.”

Logan has made up what has been a better bullpen — especially from a year ago — when healthy for the Rockies. Rookie closer Carlos Estevez has been a phenomenal find, Adam Ottavino‘s return bolsters the back end and veterans Jason Motte and Jake McGee have added to the team as well, even though they’ve been shaky at times.

“It’s coming together,” Logan said. “We have a lot of guys down there. Obviously, our numbers at home are terrible. It’s tough, bullpen management is super important. You can have a lot of good names in your bullpen, but it’s got to be a team effort for it to work as it’s set up. The starters have to go deep and little things like that. On paper, we’re a really good bullpen and we have all the pieces to be really good and feed off of each other and thrive in certain situations, and it really makes a difference when you come into a game knowing what your job is and what your role is. It all factors into one’s ability to pitch and succeed and perform well for the team. Estevez has the closer role locked down and he is doing really well. We have him learning the ropes down there. One of the better kids I’ve ever played with at that age, very down to earth and very humble which is huge for the closer role. I know our numbers don’t show it, but we’re getting better and we’re going to keep getting better as this season progresses and do what we have to do.”

The 31-year-old soon-to-be free agent may not see that progression as it is likely he is dealt before the trade deadline. But the only reason he is going to be dealt is because he has proved he has a lot left in the tank and this year is more indicative of the pitcher he is than the past two.

“Having value obviously means that you’re helping your own team out also.  The whole trade thing, it’s all speculation and rumors,” Logan explained. “There’s nothing real until it’s happening in a trade. But being in talks before becoming a free agent at the end of the year, unfortunately, we’re where we’re at right now in the standings and it makes it easy to say that I could be traded. It is what it is.”

With lefties only hitting .197 off of him it’s clear why a contender could trade for him. That being said, even if he stays on the Rockies, he’s earned the contract that was given to him three years ago, and he’s proving to be worth every cent he’s earning this season.