The Cubs announced today that they have acquired left-handed reliever Rex Brothers from the Rockies in exchange for minor league lefty Wander Cabrera. Brothers, who was designated for assignment last week, will be added to the Cubs’ 40-man roster.
The 27-year-old Brothers once looked like a potential stalwart in the Colorado bullpen and perhaps even the team’s future closer. The former No. 34 overall draft pick (2009) pitched to a combined 2.82 ERA with 218 strikeouts in 175 2/3 innings for the Rockies from 2011-13 and totaled 19 saves in that ’13 season. His 11.2 K/9 rate in that time was enough to help him offset sub-par control (4.8 B/9 rate), but his problems locating the ball have worsened significantly in the past two seasons.
Brothers has walked 47 hitters in his past 66 2/3 Major League innings and in fact spent most of the 2015 season at Triple-A, where his control was even worse. Though Brothers fanned a highly impressive 61 batters in 42 1/3 innings this season, he also issued a woeful 44 walks — more than one per inning. The Cubs will look to find the source of his location troubles in an effort to get him back on the right track to being a long-term bullpen piece. Brothers is arbitration eligible this winter, so the Cubs will have to make a relatively minor financial gamble as a result of this move. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $1.5MM salary for Brothers based on his pre-arb work, though that sum is less consequential to the Cubs than to many other teams. If Brothers turns it around in Chicago, he can be controlled through 2018.
In return, the Rockies will receive Cabrera, a Dominican left-hander that just turned 18 earlier this month. Cabrera’s first season of pro ball was 2015, in which he logged a 2.34 ERA with a 47-to-23 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings playing in the Dominican Summer League. Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper notes (via Twitter) that Cabrera received a $250K signing bonus from the Cubs in 2014. He features a 92 mph fastball (plenty of velocity for a lefty) and a “usable” curveball at present, per Cooper.
Cinnamon-pumpkin frappucino from Starbucks for everyone. Team Theo checks in at 1 pm. I’m good with this. In the 20 percent chance Brothers still has 40 good innings in his arm, he can represent in the pen better than what they have now.
As to Cabrera, I wasn’t familiar with him, and I mind the DSL. Good luck to him in the Rockies system.
I like adding a lefty to our bullpen who’s still relatively young…Cabrera is a 17 year old who hasn’t played in the states yet and is probably a long way off of producing for any team
I guess he is worth rolling the dice on…not much salary for a possible upside. No idea about the prospect.
That’s 13 relievers on the 40 man roster for the Cubs. After Rondon, Strop, Grimm and Wood, they are throwing it against the wall to see what sticks. Not a bad idea considering they will be paying their top relievers $15 million for ’16 (if they tender Wood a contract). I’m looking forward to a big starting pitcher signing.
At 6m, I’m guessing Wood is gone. If anything, I could see them using that $ in part on Cahill, if they can get him to accept a next -man-up role.
Agreed, this FO seems to prefer, for some very good reasons, a shotgun approach to building the bullpen. Just look at how they acquired the names you listed.
They are well on their way so far, with 4? low risk signings so far.
AJ Griffin was just released by the A’s…..
Sidenote- Cuddly Duddly was one of the best xmas presents ever!
Hopefully the Cubs can cure his control issues, but I like the move as we need a lefty in the pen…if he turns it around could be a relatively cheap solution for the short term while Cabrera likely won’t even be pitching in the minors until next season…92 and a curveball from a lefty sounds like it could be useful in the future but have also read he has control issues as well
How is Travis Wood gone he has a year left then maybe but he pitched well out of the pen
I went to college with Rex Brothers. Too bad I have to hate him now.
guess comedy is not appreciated here
dr. rex brothers makes sense for the Cubs to try, but in the end, a reliever who walks that many will kill you no matter how many guys he strikesout.
If he keeps up the walks, yeah. In that case, some of it is on Bosio for not fixing him.
It’s a worthwhile gamble in the short term. He can always be cut in spring training if he doesn’t look fixable. I was hoping the Tigers would give him a look.
I wanted The Braves to get Rex Brothers since he had some closing experience, recent good success, cheap, and could be traded for little to no prospects. We have some good RHP in the bullpen but even with the addition of Ian Krol we are severely lacking on the left side.
Thought he would have been a great get for the cheap pirates! Oh well
Who are these Rex brothers? Are they both pitchers?