Braves sign RHP Collin McHugh
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves today signed RHP Collin McHugh to a two-year contract worth $10 million guaranteed, with a $6 million club option for 2024 that includes a $1 million buyout. He is set to make $4 million this season and $5 million in 2023. McHugh has agreed to donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
McHugh, 34, pitched in 37 games and made seven starts for the Tampa Bay Rays last season, compiling a 6-1 record and a 1.55 ERA (11 ER/64.0 IP) with 74 strikeouts and one save. His 1.55 ERA was fourth lowest in the majors among pitchers with as many innings last season, and his 2.11 ERA as a reliever since 2018 is second lowest in the majors (min. 100.0 IP), trailing just teammate Kirby Yates. McHugh fashioned a 23-inning scoreless streak for Tampa Bay last season, tied for the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history.
McHugh, who bats and throws right-handed, has a 64-44 record and a 3.77 ERA (362 ER/864.2 IP) over 247 career games, including 126 starts, and has pitched for the Mets (2012-‘13), Rockies (‘13), Astros (2014-‘19) and Rays (‘21) over a nine-year career in the majors. He finished eighth in balloting for the 2015 A.L. Cy Young award after going 19-7 with a 3.89 ERA for the Astros. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has pitched primarily in relief since 2018, going 13-4 with a 2.11 ERA in 158.0 innings out of the bullpen in that span.
Originally drafted by the New York Mets in the 18th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, McHugh made his debut for the Mets in 2012 and totaled just 47.1 innings in the majors between 2012 and 2013. The Houston Astros acquired him prior to the 2014 season, and he compiled an 11-9 record and a 2.73 ERA over 25 starts that year to earn a fourth-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.
An Atlanta resident, McHugh attended Providence Christian Academy in Lilburn, Ga., before attending Berry College.
