Justin Grimm

Justin Grimm

35-Year-Old PitcherP
 Free Agent  
2025 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Justin Grimm in 2025. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year contract with the Athletics in December of 2021. Released by the Athletics in May of 2022.
Cut loose by Oakland
PFree Agent  
June 1, 2022
The Athletics released Grimm on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
After going unclaimed off waivers when he was designated for assignment over the weekend, Grimm will opt for free agency rather than being outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas. Before being moved off Oakland's 40-man roster, Grimm appeared in 15 games out of the bullpen and logged a 4.11 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across 15.1 innings.
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Pitching Stats
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2022
2020
2018
2017
2022 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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2017 MLB Game Log
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Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-1%
BAA vs RHP
2024
No Stats
2023
No Stats
2022
 
 
-1%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .296 32 6 4 8 1 1 0
Since 2022vs Right .294 39 5 3 10 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 .296 32 6 4 8 1 1 0
2022vs Right .294 39 5 3 10 2 0 1
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Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-52%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
2023
No Stats
2022
 
 
-52%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 5.40 2.04 8.1 0 0 0 6.5 5.4 0.0
Since 2022Away 2.57 1.14 7.0 0 0 0 6.4 2.6 1.3
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 5.40 2.04 8.1 0 0 0 6.5 5.4 0.0
2022Away 2.57 1.14 7.0 0 0 0 6.4 2.6 1.3
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Justin Grimm See More
Closer Encounters: Leveraging WPA & gmLI to Identify Potential Closers
April 27, 2022
Ryan Rufe analyzes applies a couple of advanced stats to analyze bullpens across the league. Is it time to give up on Jake McGee in San Francisco?
Closer Encounters: Struggling Hendriks Causes Concern
April 20, 2022
Ryan Rufe analyzes closer situations around the league, including in Chicago where Liam Hendriks has struggled early this season.
Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Reds at Brewers
August 27, 2020
Juan Pablo Aravena breaks down Thursday's Reds at Brewers game for Dream11 contests.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
The Cubs opted to release Grimm during spring training. The Royals pounced on him just a few days later, but things didn't pan out as they would've hoped. After the right-hander collected a few holds, he imploded, allowing a whopping 17 earned runs in just seven innings of work during the first month of the season. Then, the injury bug bit him, putting him on the disabled list twice due to back and shoulder issues. The Royals released him during his second stint on the DL, leading the Mariners to take a flier on him. Once he got healthy, the veteran reliever provided good innings, allowing just one run in 4.2 frames for Seattle in September. However, high walk rates continue to haunt him, and the injury issues are hard to overlook. Grimm signed a minor-league contract with the Indians in January.
After looking like an undervalued member of the Cubs' bullpen in 2015, Grimm has had a pair of seasons where he's been less reliable as a high-leverage contributor. The struggles in 2017 led the Cubs to option him to Triple-A Iowa on multiple occasions, which puts him on very thin ice as the team begins to put together its relief corps for 2018. After peaking at a career-high 32.8 percent K% in 2015, Grimm's ability to put hitters away has waned in each of the last two campaigns, and walks are now a recurring problem for him. He still throws hard, having averaged 94.9 mph on his fastball last season, but the lack of control paired with a spike in homers (career-high 1.95 HR/9 in 2017) doomed him. Further struggles this spring, or early in the season could punch his ticket out of Chicago, and if he stays, there are several more talented options ahead of him for important late-inning opportunities, which significantly limits his appeal.
On the surface, little changed with Grimm's skills from 2015 to 2016. The biggest difference, however, came with a surge in his hard-hit rate, which jumped from 30.9 percent in 2015 to 36.8 percent last season. He also generated groundballs at a lower clip, which with the aforementioned increase in hard contact drove a 66-point spike in BABIP. One possible explanation is the reduced velocity on his fastball, which slipped from 95.2 mph in 2015 to 94.2 mph. Just one year after beating his FIP (3.11) by more than a run with his ERA (1.99), Grimm underperformed his mark (3.28) with a 4.10 ERA in 2016. Fortunately, he seemed to figure things out in the second half, closing out the year with a 2.42 ERA and 31:8 K:BB over 22.1 innings down the stretch. With 12 of his 68 appearances in 2016 taking place in the eighth inning or later in tied or one-run games, Grimm is unlikely to find his way into save opportunities as a member of the Cubs.
Grimm was the forgotten man in the Matt Garza trade of 2013, but he's arguably been the best player involved in that deal — and that includes Garza. Last season was the best yet, and he finished with 15 holds and three saves as one of the key players in the Cubs bullpen. He faltered down the stretch, however, giving up 12 runs and 12 walks in his last 15 appearances, though that came immediately after a near-perfect run (15 scoreless appearances in a row with a 16:1 K:BB). Something was definitely different about his game last year, as he's never had strikeout rates — even in the minors — close to his 12.1 rate of K/9, and his walks were up a bit as well. He'll likely have a similar role in the 2016 version of the Cubs, but don't break the bank betting on a repeat.
After struggling with the Rangers, Grimm has found new life as a reliever for the Cubs. He gave up 15 home runs in 89 innings for the Rangers in 2013, but he kept the ball in the park for the Cubs last year. That he only had 11 holds in 73 appearances might indicate that the Cubs don't trust him yet in key situations, but it's also an indication that the Cubs didn't have a lot of key situations in 2014. Grimm struck out a batter per inning last season -- his first time accomplishing that feat since 2011 -- and he could be entrusted with more high-leverage spots by the Cubs if he can trim his walk rate (3.5 BB/9).
Grimm's two years in Texas were no fairy tale, as he gave up 138 hits and 81 runs in just 103 innings. He began the year at Triple-A Round Rock, but was quickly thrust into the starting rotation when Matt Harrison got hurt. He came over to the Cubs in the Matt Garza deal and showed a little improvement, but still has some work to do. Grimm has shown some promise in the minors, most notably with Double-A Frisco in 2012 (73:14 K:BB ratio), so hope remains.
Grimm made a few token appearances in the majors, but spent most of the 2012 season split between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. His control numbers and K/9 took a nose dive against more advanced hitters at Triple-A Round Rock, taking the shine off his start from a solid beginning to 2012 with Double-A Frisco. He doesn't project as much more than a groundball inducing swingman, similar in that regard to Scott Feldman.
More Fantasy News
Designated for assignment
POakland Athletics  
May 28, 2022
Grimm was designated for assignment by the Athletics on Saturday.
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Righting ship after stumbles
POakland Athletics  
May 9, 2022
Grimm, who fired a perfect sixth inning in a loss to the Twins on Sunday, has three straight scoreless appearances after allowing two earned runs in back-to-back outings April 21 and 29.
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Solid in early going
POakland Athletics  
April 17, 2022
Grimm, who fired 1.1 perfect innings during which he recorded two strikeouts against the Blue Jays on Saturday, has posted a 3.00 ERA and 4:1 K:BB across three innings over his first three appearances.
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Contract selected by Oakland
POakland Athletics  
April 7, 2022
Grimm's contract was selected by the Athletics on Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
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Nabs MiLB deal from Oakland
POakland Athletics  
January 31, 2022
Grimm confirmed Dec. 27 that he agreed with the Athletics on a minor-league contract, Tim Hayes of the Bristol Herald Courier reports.
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