Tyler Clippard

Tyler Clippard

39-Year-Old PitcherP
 Free Agent  
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Tyler Clippard in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
$Signed a one-year contract with the Nationals in March of 2022. Released by the Nationals in August of 2022.
Retires from baseball
PFree Agent  
September 29, 2023
Clippard announced his retirement from baseball Thursday.
ANALYSIS
The 38-year-old didn't pitch anywhere in 2023, last appearing in the majors for four games with the Nationals in 2022. Clippard finishes a 16-year big-league career with a 3.16 ERA in 807 appearances, 74 saves and a 9.9 K/9, having pitched for 10 different teams. He made the All-Star team in 2011 and 2014 during his first stint with the Nats.
Read More News
Pitching Stats
Loading Pitching Stats...
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2022 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2021 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2020 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2019 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2018 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2017 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
Minor League Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Loading Minor League Pitching Game Log...
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-100%
BAA vs LHP
2024
No Stats
2023
No Stats
2022
 
 
-100%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .000 13 2 3 0 0 0 0
Since 2022vs Right .500 15 2 1 6 2 0 1
2024vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022vs Left .000 13 2 3 0 0 0 0
2022vs Right .500 15 2 1 6 2 0 1
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-100%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
2023
No Stats
2022
 
 
-100%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 9.00 2.25 4.0 0 0 0 6.8 6.8 2.3
Since 2022Away 0.00 1.00 1.0 0 0 0 9.0 9.0 0.0
2024Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022Home 9.00 2.25 4.0 0 0 0 6.8 6.8 2.3
2022Away 0.00 1.00 1.0 0 0 0 9.0 9.0 0.0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Advanced Pitching Stats
Loading Advanced Pitching Stats...
Defensive Stats
Loading MLB Defensive Stats...
Stats Vs Today's Lineup
Want more matchup stats?
Loading Matchup Stats...
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Tyler Clippard See More
NL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
September 26, 2021
Jan Levine concludes his column for the season with a look at some late contributors and a few to keep in mind for 2022.
MLB FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
August 26, 2021
Jason Shebilske analyzes the top wavier-wire options for the week, including Amed Rosario, who's been on a tear recently for the Indians.
NL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
August 22, 2021
We're approaching crunch time in fantasy baseball and Jan Levine analyzes the better available players, including a closer who's taken control in Washington.
The Z Files: My Top 250 Rest-of-Season Pitchers
August 16, 2021
Todd Zola offers his projected pitcher rankings for the stretch run as two National League teams split the top four spots between them.
Mound Musings: Checking in on Some Unsettled Bullpens
August 12, 2021
Brad Johnson checks in with some in-flux bullpen situations, like in Kansas City, where Josh Staumont had a shaky June but has rebounded of late.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Clippard is having a late 30s surge as he put up another strong season as a setup man for the Twins. He had a 2.77 ERA and solid 26.5% strikeout rate with a career-low 4.1% walk rate. Clippard has improved his control from earlier in his career and has limited his home runs allowed (0.69 HR/9 last year), which has offset declining velocity (89.2 mph average fastball last year). His changeup continues to be a plus pitch, limiting batters to a .215 wOBA last year according to Baseball Savant. He's a flyball pitcher (29.4% groundball rate last year) and home runs allowed have been his Achilles' heel in the past. Watch that he's keeping the ball in the park as he had a career-low 5.9% HR/FB in 2020. If he limits homers, he should be a reliable setup man at age 36 once again with Arizona.
Following a couple shaky seasons, Clippard had to impress to maintain a spot in the majors in 2019, and he responded with a strong 2.90 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. The right-hander battled pectoral issues at the beginning of the season, but was effective serving as a late reliever in Cleveland's bullpen. Although Clippard's average fastball velocity dipped to 90.0 mph last year, he still recorded a 26.6 K% and also showed better control, recording a career-best 6.2 BB%. Relievers are volatile and this level of success is likely unsustainable as he enters his age-35 season, especially as a flyball pitcher in this heightened home-run environment. He signed with the Twins in free agency, moving onto his 10th different major-league organization. Clippard's relatively low fastball velocity will likely prohibit him from competing for the closer role.
Coming off the worst season of his career, Clippard needed to earn a major-league roster spot last spring, which he did, breaking camp with the Blue Jays, his seventh organization since 2015. The journeyman righty rebounded, fanning 85 in 68.2 innings and racking up 15 holds and seven saves along the way. He was the first option to fill in for the suspended Roberto Osuna in early May but was removed from closing duties after blowing a pair of saves later in the month in rather unsettling fashion, allowing a total of six runs in those appearances. An injury to new closer Ryan Tepera opened the door for Clippard to post another handful of saves, but he spent most of the season working in a setup role. After sporting his highest strikeout rate and lowest walk rate since 2011, Clippard should again find work as a setup man, garnering the occasional save opportunity.
Clippard wound up being a part of three different bullpens over the course of the season. He began the year in pinstripes as the primary seventh-inning reliever for the Yankees, but lost that role during the summer after serving up seven homers in 36.1 innings. He was then dealt to the White Sox as part of the return for Todd Frazier, and Clippard thrived in his new home. Although he only made 11 appearances on the south side of Chicago, the right-hander shined to the tune of a 1.80 ERA. This led the White Sox to flip him to Houston, where his struggles returned in the form of a 6.43 ERA across 14 frames. Clippard has excellent strikeout statistics, but his awful control and propensity for giving up home runs doomed him in 2017. He remains unsigned as of press time.
For the second season in a row, Clippard benefited from a midseason trade to New York, though this time he landed with the Yankees and not their crosstown rivals. The 31-year-old lowered his ERA nearly two full runs after being shipped away from Arizona and posted a strong 10.3 K/9 between the two stops. Walks and home runs both remained an issue though, as Clippard gave up double-digit homers for just the second time in his career -- a problem he may continue to deal with pitching in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. Despite those issues, the second half of the season should provide plenty of encouragement after a first half that saw Clippard post what would have been the worst ERA and WHIP of his career since moving to the bullpen. He will help set up in front of Dellin Betances and closer Aroldis Chapman in 2017.
The Mets acquired Clippard from the A's in July and much like fellow acquisition Addison Reed, his numbers improved in New York, although a spike in HR/FB (9.4%, compared to a career 8.2% mark) made him more susceptible to the long ball. With consistent flyball tendencies, Clippard is best suited for a cavernous home park, however the D-Backs inked him to a two-year deal this offseason, so he will have to make do in a cramped home environment. His control appeared to erode in the first half of the season with Oakland (12.6% BB%), but the 7.5% walk rate he delivered after the trade was more in line with his 2011-2014 marks with the Nationals and he still misses bats at a steady clip (21.3% K%). Moreover, Clippard has been one of the most durable and consistent relief arms in the game over the past five seasons, holding the opposition below the Mendoza Line on an annual basis. He could be in the mix for saves if Brad Ziegler falters, but Clippard is a better bet for holds than saves in 2016.
Since moving to the bullpen in 2009, Clippard has been almost without question the most consistent and valuable middle reliever in baseball, posting a combined 2.64 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 10.4 K/9 and .179/.266/.318 slash line allowed over 453.2 innings. His lack of save opportunities has usually kept his fantasy value low, a situation that may finally change following a January trade to Oakland. However, Clippard's ability to consistently miss bats while pitching significant innings puts him at the top of the heap regardless of his role when it comes to those high-strikeout setup arms who slip through the cracks at most draft tables, but become invaluable midseason pickups. Batters have shown no signs of figuring out his low-90s fastball/changeup combo so far, and he's remained amazingly durable despite his workload. With A's closer Sean Doolittle expected to miss the start of the season with a rotator cuff injury, Clippard is the favorite to step into the ninth-inning role in Oakland to begin 2015.
Clippard's nasty changeup propelled him to a ridiculous .170 BABIP, but given that it's the second time in three seasons he's had a sub-.200 BABIP, it's maybe less ridiculous for him than it would be for most other pitchers. His declining strikeout rate (9.3 K/9, the first time in four seasons he's been below 10.0) is a concern as well, and even if the Drew Storen trade rumors pan out, Clippard is still stuck behind Rafael Soriano in the Nats' bullpen pecking order. He's a big-name setup man, but Clippard's reputation and price tag may start to outpace his production in 2014.
After Drew Storen went under the knife and a series of other candidates faltered, Nats manager Davey Johnson finally gave Clippard a chance to close and the stalwart setup man did not disappoint. An over-reliance on his normally lethal changeup led to some September struggles though, opening the door for Storen to reclaim his job and sticking Clippard back into his usual high-strikeout eighth-inning role heading into 2013. At the very least, Clippard now has the 'established closer' badge on his profile, so if he gets dangled as trade bait, Clippard won't be the closer of last resort. Alas, with the Nats signing Rafael Soriano, the chances for Clippard closing are a lot slimmer now, outside of a trade to another organization.
Clippard heads in 2012 as the Nationals' top setup man after a terrific 2011. His strikeout rate dropped from 2010 despite a higher swinging strike percentage, but more importantly he lowered his walk rate from 4.06 BB/9IP in 2010 to 2.60 in 2011. Don’t expect another season with an ERA below 2.00, as he was lucky in stranding runners (95 percent), and he is an extreme flyball pitcher (60 percent rate). His devastating change-up gives him a reverse platoon split, but his workload over the last two seasons should be cause for concern.
To say that Clippard had a good fantasy season would be an understatement: 11 wins and triple-digit strikeouts for a reliever who probably lasted until the endgame of most drafts and auctions makes for a massive ROI. The increase in his workload is cause for a little concern, but barring injury his fastball/changeup/slider arsenal should keep him among the elite setup men in the game. Depending on how cautious the Nationals want to be in throwing Drew Storen into the ninth-inning fire, Clippard could even work his way into the closer picture. Those strikeouts and potential saves won't come as cheaply in 2011, however.
The Nationals moved Clippard to the bullpen full-time in 2009 and he blossomed, dominating Triple-A before getting called up in June and looking very good as a multi-inning reliever. Long relief seems like a very low-leverage spot for a pitcher with Clippard's ability to miss bats, but given the uncertainty in the Nats' rotation it might be the most useful role they can give him, at least in the short term. He's not likely to be the second coming of Mike Marshall, but the innings and strikeouts could make him more valuable in fantasy terms than your average middle man.
Clippard's control wasn't really good enough for Triple-A, much less the majors, but his strikeout rate move back towards the 9.0 K/9IP mark that he maintained and lower levels and he'll still just be 24 this season. He relies far more on deception than raw stuff, so an adjustment period wasn't a shock, but it's time for him to consolidate what he's learned and carve out a regular spot in the Nationals' rotation.
With a plethora of young, right-handed starters ahead of him on their organizational depth chart, the Yankees shipped Clippard to Washington for reliever Jonathan Albaladejo during the winter meetings in December. Given that he was able to make his major-league debut as a 22-year-old -- starting six games for the Yankees nonetheless -- he should be a good fit in his new home as a No. 3 or No. 4 starter.
Regarded as the next major-league ready starter behind top-prospect Philip Hughes, Clippard will likely spend the 2007 season at Triple-A after a strong 2006 campaign at Double-A Trenton. He'll turn 22 before spring training and should continue to open some eyes for owners in minor league drafts after racking up 175 strikeouts in 28 starts last season. In his four-pitch repertoire, Clippard uses a plus-curveball and a good change-up to keep hitters off balance, while maintaining good control, with 2.98 walks per nine innings.
Clippard had a nice year at Single-A Tampa in 2005 and has emerged as the Yankees' second-best pitching prospect behind Philip Hughes. The 169/34 K/BB ratio is impressive, and while Clippard doesn't have the raw stuff that Hughes does, he has a good feel for what he's doing on the mound. He's worth a look late in minor league drafts.
More Fantasy News
Parts ways with Washington
PFree Agent  
August 25, 2022
Clippard cleared waivers and was released by the Nationals on Thursday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
DFA'd by Washington
PWashington Nationals  
August 23, 2022
Clippard was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Tuesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Reinstated from injured list
PWashington Nationals  
August 12, 2022
Clippard (groin) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Friday.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Begins rehab assignment
PWashington Nationals  
Groin
August 5, 2022
Clippard (groin) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Friday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Lands on injured list
PWashington Nationals  
Groin
July 22, 2022
Clippard was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a groin strain, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Out as closer?
PArizona Diamondbacks  
September 23, 2021
Clippard allowed three runs in an inning of work Wednesday and was not used in a save chance Thursday, suggesting he may have lost his grip on the team's closer role.
ANALYSIS
J.B. Wendelken recorded his second save of the season Thursday and may be the new closer, though there are only nine games left, so it won't equate to a ton of opportunities. The 36-year-old Clippard is on a one-year deal and may not be back with the rebuilding Diamondbacks in 2022.
See All MLB Rumors