Seeking to upgrade a relief corps that has struggled at times this season, the Cubs are among the teams to have kicked the tires on free agent right-hander Rafael Soriano, reports Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. Last week, Jon Heyman reported that the Cubs “may consider” Soriano at some point down the line.
Soriano, a Scott Boras client is training and facing live hitters in the Dominican Republic at this time, Mooney writes. Boras told reporters yesterday before the Cubs hosted the Padres at Wrigley Field that some teams are seeing him for the second and third time. “I think Soriano could help about 10 teams now,” Boras told reporters. “…Teams are reaching out. We’re pretty close to structuring a deal for him.” The Cubs aren’t quite motivated or desperate enough to pay top dollar for Soriano, Mooney hears.
Still, it’s not difficult to see why the Cubs would have some form of interest in a bullpen upgrade — particularly one that wouldn’t cost the team any prospects. Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and lefty Zac Rosscup have all pitched reasonably well this season, but beyond that group, there’s been little stability. Phil Coke has already been designated for assignment. Jason Motte’s ERA is 5.17, and his peripherals aren’t much more encouraging. Edwin Jackson rattled off six scoreless appearances to open the season, but he’s surrendered five runs in his past 1 2/3 innings (spanning three appearances).
The listed relievers are the only ones who have thrown even 10 innings this season for a Cubs bullpen that has cycled through 12 relief options (13 if you include catcher David Ross throwing an inning of mop-up duty). James Russell has looked solid since re-signing with the Cubs shortly after his release from Atlanta, and the return of Justin Grimm from the disabled list is expected to be a boost. The loss of Neil Ramirez, though, is a blow to the bullpen, and the result of the unit’s collective effort has been a 4.20 ERA.
As Mooney notes, the Cubs have tried to fix the problem by bringing Russell back and designating Coke, and the team traded Welington Castillo to the Mariners in exchange for hard-throwing right-hander Yoervis Medina. That sequence would seem to indicate that the Cubs are indeed trying to upgrade their ’pen, but the question that remains is whether or not Soriano would be an upgrade.
The Marlins recently expressed interest in Soriano but backed off rather abruptly, with followup reports indicating that their interest dissipated not due to financial reasons, but because evaluators didn’t feel that Soriano was an upgrade over the team’s internal options. Late in the offseason, ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote that some scouts felt that Soriano’s stuff evaporated late in the season, which was the reason for his drastic decline at season’s end. Though Soriano’s 3.19 ERA and 59-to-19 K/BB ratio in last year’s 62 innings look solid, he wilted in the second half, registering a 6.48 ERA.
The bullpen was one of many Cubs-related issues that Mooney discussed with Jeff Todd in a guest appearance on yesterday’s MLBTR Podcast.
the Cubs should trade for Tyler Clippard from the A’s. Cubs could send back a minor prospect and get a experienced set up closer type of player.
Why would the A’s take a minor prospect for Clippard when they can just QO him and get a draft pick. They wont just give him away.
Ummmm…because no set up man in their right mind would turn down a 1 year 15 million dollar offer. And the A’s couldn’t afford to pay him that if he said yes. It would take more than a minor prospect, but the QO isn’t why.
Strikeouts are way down, and the walks are way up. I would be weary of Clippard.
They do get wearisome, don’t they?
I’d even be “wary” of Clippard.
After the most recent trade with the A’s, I’d imagine Beane and his front office would be reluctant to work with ours for a little while. When a trade goes so horribly one sided, you have to at least consider the question of if you got hosed intentionally. The more recent, the higher the impact, and the fresher the memory. Red flags could be raised, and understandably so. It’s like a game of Monopoly with ball players.
“I think Soriano could help about 10 teams now,” Boras told reporters. “…
Oh, no doubt.
It’s crazy he hasn’t signed yet. Teams like LAD & SD could use him to bolster their pens.
Kind of surprised he didn’t say 20, actually!
I apologize to MLBTR for my last deleted random post. I was accidentally posting on the wrong site. MLBTR does a great job at moderating posts!
haha! yes, um, *gulp* I uhh, I too believe that MLBTR does a ummm… (“Line?” “Great job.”) a great job! at moderating, uh, posts, *gulp* of course. hehe.
Soriano is going to help no one this season. Just look at the two guys that signed mid season last year, Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew. Neither of them were productive at all. I attribute that to the lack of Spring Training. Sure you can rehab in the minors, but it’s not the same. Soriano might help n 2016, but he will be an expensive mistake for someone in 2015.
Possibly, Valverde did the same thing a few years back when he first re-signed with the Tigers and was a pretty large bust. Clemens use to do this too but he was a different breed.
If multiple teams are “reaching out” for Soriano, there’s got to be some desperation. It will be mid June before he can get back on the field, and his last couple of months last season do not give cause for optimism. Boras may be talking heavy interest, but Soriano can really only be a flyer, not a significant contract.
Cubs must be on Drugs for considering the Juicier Soliaino, when Paps is available for Baez the Cubbies unloved prospect,