JULY 27: Jackson has been officially released, tweets MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat.
JULY 19: The Cubs have designated Edwin Jackson for assignment, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. The club has recalled reliever Rafael Soriano in a corresponding move.
Coming off of a four-season run in which he carried a 3.98 ERA over 812 2/3 frames, Jackson signed a four-year, $52MM contract with Chicago prior to the 2013 campaign. That move constituted the first real indication that the Cubs were prepared again to open their wallet.
As things stand now, Jackson hits DFA limbo while still owed the balance of his $11MM salary this season along with $11MM next year. That makes for a total future commitment of $15.63MM, per Wittenmyer.
Rather than serving as a sturdy number three or four option for the now-contending club, as might have been hoped, Jackson entered this year as a marginal roster candidate after posting a 6.33 ERA in 2014. The Cubs moved Jackson to the bullpen, and he has been better in a long relief capacity, carrying a 3.19 ERA and 6.68 K/9 against 3.48 BB/9. His velocity has also jumped back to 94.2 mph.
All said, there’s good reason to believe that Jackson still possesses a major league arm, and he’s likely to get another shot in relatively short order. But he has delivered nothing close to the value his salary demands, and it’s inconceivable that another team will grab him off the wire. Assuming that Jackson clears waivers, rejects an outright assignment, and hits the open market, the Cubs will only be lined up to save (at most) the pro-rated portion of the league minimum salary this year and next.
Chicago, then, is all but certain to remain on the hook for most of the $15MM and change remaining on Jackson’s deal. For the over fifty million invested, the team received a composite contribution of 347 innings of 5.37 ERA pitching (with 7.3 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9). The empty $11MM hit that Jackson represents for 2016 is hardly crippling, but does represent a notable impediment to an organization that seems likely to be tabbed with big expectations next year.
While the Cubs might otherwise have had cause to hold onto Jackson, the team has also been utilizing another deposed starter — Travis Wood — in a long relief role. Of the two, Wood is younger, cheaper, and has performed better (2.59 ERA in 17 relief appearances). As such, Jackson was viewed as expendable despite solid numbers.
Interestingly, Jackson’s contract has served as something of a template for several starting pitching deals struck in the ensuing offseasons. So far, none of those signings — Ricky Nolasco & Ervin Santana (Twins), Matt Garza (Brewers), Ubaldo Jimenez (Orioles), and Brandon McCarthy (Dodgers) — has really worked out as hoped, though there’s plenty of time left for assessment.
Soriano, meanwhile, was signed as a free agent on June 12 for a pro-rated $4.1MM with $4MM in incentives. He’ll serve to further bolster an increasingly deep Cubs bullpen. Jason Motte has filled in as the team’s closer in recent weeks, but it stands to reason that Soriano could factor into the late innings too.
The 35-year-old languished on the market after an up and down 2014 campaign. But he ultimately joined the Cubs last month on a deal that will pay him the pro-rated portion of a $4.1MM annual salary (plus incentives).
Since joining the organization, Soriano has yet to allow an earned run over seven minor league appearances. In 630 career innings, he has racked up 207 saves, a 2.85 ERA, 9.09 K/9, and 2.80 BB/9. Soriano spent most of the 2014 season as the Nationals closer before giving way to Drew Storen late in the season. He has 27 or more saves in five of the last six seasons.
Woah…
Edwin was a sunk cost, so this was bound to happen eventually.
E-Jax needs to call the Cardinals and thank them for getting him that contract…….and then hang up his spikes…….
He pitched for the Nationals before signing with the Cubs, so he should be thanking the Nationals.
Why should he hang up his spikes? If he wants to pitch for MLB min, I’m sure someone will take a guy with a 3.19 ERA to be a long man
He’s going to collect the remainder of his contract no matter how much he signs for. The only thing that matters is the Cubs have to pay him the remainder of his contract, minus whatever he makes from another team. So he’s essentially pitching for free.
Soriano really the best they’ve got in Iowa? I think I would have stuck with EJax.
3.19 ERA, 2.84 FIP, oh, and 0 HRs allowed in 31 relief innings and you DFA him?
I get he isn’t exactly favorable to Cubs fans, but he hasn’t exactly pitched terribly.
He’s untrustworthy in close, high pressure games. Most of his time was seen in losing games and when they needed someone to eat some innings no matter what.
How do you know if he’s untrustworthy if he’s pitched a small sample size, and that size isn’t even in high pressure games for more than 1/4 of the time?
E-Jax: 2.84 FIP
Travis Wood: 4.22 FIP
Wouldn’t exactly say Wood has “performed better”, more like his defense has performed better behind him than E-Jax’s.
Have to dig deeper, like the lowest leverage index of his career, 19 of 23 appearances with his team losing, and 36% of inherited runners scoring on him which gets scored on the previous pitcher. He has been okay, but not nearly as good as a quick glance suggests. Anybody expecting to get quality innings from him is going to be disappointed; he was a glorified mop-up man for the Cubs this year. Jackson was the least trustworthy pitcher currently in the Cubs’ pen and it makes sense that he is the one to go to make room.
He’s talking about FIP, not ERA. Why should we care if he strands the runners if he comes in with a man on 3rd an 0 outs? The beauty of FIP is it tells us how HE pitched, regardless of circumstance.
shhhh…. let them rival fans believe he’s actually worth putting a waiver claim on. They can find out the truth for themselves when they actually expect him to help win a game…
No one is claiming Jackson. Once he is a free agent and a team can get him for the league minimum, sure, a team will scoop him up.
31 years old with a 2.84 FIP this year. If the Cubs pick up that tab, he could be an asset on many, many teams. Poor move by Cubs.
Fip is a stat for starters. Its using it in poor context when talking about a reliever that is pitching in blow out games.
Team record in appearances this year: 4-19.
You weren’t wrong with the blowout games comment. Ha
People are still overlooking the fact that he pitched really, really well according to stats.
He is fine in no pressure situations but in a close game watch out. That is what the numbers don’t tell you but any Cub fan can
There are plenty of teams that could use him in no pressure situations.
A team like the Phillies could of used him to get a better prospect return on Jon Papelbon.
Papelbon for Edwin Jackson and Billy Mckinney?
Have you watched any Cubs games? The Cubs would be lucky to get a bag of baseballs for jackson.
I would think that teams will contact the Cubs to see how much contract they are willing to eat.
Finally!! I’ve been waiting all year for this!! He only came in during garbage time or when the Cubs conceded the game. Theo can now forget the signing of Jackson which should have never happened.
Edwin was brutal. I think this was the last big step towards rebuilding; eating Edwin Jacksons salary.
Edwin has been pretty solid in the Cubs’ bullpen this season. I would imagine he won’t have a hard time finding work, especially if the new team can sign him for the Vet minimum
He’s still only 31, plenty of time to learn a new trick and come back strong.
I still cant believe how long he and Oilver Perez have been around, it feels like both should be in their late 30s by now.
Anyone who thinks the Cubs should have kept Jackson hasn’t paid attention to any games. He’s only pitched in garbage time which is why his numbers look as good as they do.
Anyone who is pointing to Jackson’s stats to say this is a bad move by the Cubs is ludicrous. The only reason this isn’t a no brainer is because the Cubs will have to eat majority of his contract, if not all. Jackson’s stats this year mean NOTHING..
Believe me if you just watched the Cubs this year and ignored numbers this is a no brainer, guy has lost it and it aint coming back with the Cubs. If he didn’t have the contract he did he woulda been starting it the Mexican league this year if he was lucky.
Does this mean , the Cubs are getting Cole Hamels !
Rafael Soriano. Cubs like getting hosed by Sorianos
AA. Pick him up. Trade for Kimbrel. Send Loup down and bring up Delabar. Trade Castro to the rangers for Gallardo and let’s call it. Still given the jays a chance but not selling the future. Or. Unload Bautista, Encarnacion, Reyes, Dickey and Buehrle for top prospects. Build a championship team like Kansas City and Tampa.
Edwin Jackson will end up in Toronto’s starting rotation by next week. This will be Alex Anthopolous’ BIG trade deadline acquisition.
Brian Cashman on-the-cheap special.
That’s a lot of money to walk from. But wrap your head around this–when his contract is done next year, he will have earned over $77M, and to date, he has a total (total!!) of 9.6bWAR in 13 years. Good timing, smart agent.
Not sure why he’d lump in Ubaldo Jimenez with that group as he is one of the few reasons Baltimore’s rotation is still treading water. After a disastrous first year he has really turned it around. His advanced statistics suggest he’s a slightly better pitcher.