Cliff Lee is reportedly looking to pitch in 2016 if he can find the right fit, according to a new report.
The 37-year-old free agent lefty hasn’t pitched since 2014 due to a torn flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, and the Philadelphia Phillies declined his $27.5 million club option for obvious reasons. Lee isn’t giving up on his career, though, and according to CBS Sports’s Jon Heyman, he’s throwing and medically cleared to pitch.
According to agent Darek Braunecker, Lee plans to pitch next season as long as he finds the right fit.
Come Opening Day next year, it will have been 20 months since Lee pitched in a big league game. He will probably have to settle for a minor league deal and there’s no guarantee he’ll make a rotation anywhere. It’s an intriguing thought, but there’s no guarantee that the Cliff Lee of 2016 would be anything close to the vintage Cliff Lee.
