Reds sign Jair Jurrjens to minor-league deal

On May 17, 2014, in Cincinnati

Rehabbing right-handed starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens has been signed by a minor-league deal by the Reds, confirms Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

jair jurrjens, who has knee surgery in sept, is rehabbing and throwing 90 mph. looking to come back.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) May 4, 2014
Jurrjens hasn't routinely sat above 90 miles per hour since 2010 and then in the first half of 2011. It's a good sign that he's already hitting that much early in his comeback, so he's definitely worth a no-risk signing here by Cincinnati.

Jurrjens, 28, was an All-Star in 2011, when he went 13-6 with a 2.96 ERA. Still, he only made 23 starts as a knee injury limited him in the second half.

The 2012 season was a disaster for Jurrjens, with a groin injury and a terrible performance (6.89 ERA in 11 outings). Last season, he only managed two big-league appearances (one start) with the Orioles and then had the knee surgery.

The Reds don't have a glaring need in the rotation, with Alfredo Simon filling in well for Mat Latos and the other four members healthy. Still, as I stated above, there is no risk to giving a minor-league deal to a former All-Star. If his knee is finally healthy again -- remember, he's still only 28 years old -- he could help. If not, they didn't lose anything of real substance.

Jurrjens' signing was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Matt Snyder/CBS Sports

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