Headlines

  • Jacob deGrom To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Blue Jays Option Alek Manoah
  • Reds Promote Elly De La Cruz
  • Red Sox Designate Raimel Tapia For Assignment
  • Mets Designate Tomas Nido For Assignment, Activate Omar Narvaez
  • MLB Hires Albert Pujols As Special Assistant
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cubs To Sign Matt Murton To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | February 12, 2016 at 1:30pm CDT

It’s a nostalgic day at Wrigley Field, as former Cubs outfielder Matt Murton has officially signed a minor league contract to return to the Cubs, MLBTR has learned. A report from Yahoo Japan first reported that an agreement was in place last week.

The now-34-year-old Murton was originally selected by the Red Sox with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2003 draft but was traded from Boston to Chicago in the four-team Nomar Garciaparra blockbuster. Murton made his big league debut with the Cubs in 2005 and went on to spend three-and-a-half seasons as a productive member of the team’s outfield, batting .294/.362/.448 in his time with the Cubs. Murton would eventually be traded to the Athletics (alongside Josh Donaldson) in a trade that netted the Cubs right-handers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.

Murton’s big league career after leaving the Cubs was brief; he appeared in just nine games for the A’s before he was included in an offseason trade that sent him to the Rockies, and he saw just 29 games as a member of Colorado’s big league club. Murton did have a big year at the Triple-A level with the Rockies in 2009, though, which seemingly caught the eye of the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Murton signed on with Hanshin for the 2010 season and crushed Japanese pitching, hitting .349/.395/.499 with 17 homers in his first season overseas. While his initial plan may not have been to embark on such a lengthy stay, Murton would go on to spend a total of six seasons with Hanshin, batting a combined .310/.352/.437 in 3534 plate appearances with the Tigers.

Now back with the Cubs, Murton will look to force his way into an outfield mix that has Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward and Jorge Soler lined up as the starters (from left field to right field) with Chris Coghlan and Matt Szczur also in the mix for bench roles. Ben Zobrist and Arismendy Alcantara, too, are capable of playing the outfield, though Zobrist will be the Cubs’ primary second baseman, and Alcantara is probably bound for Triple-A after struggling there in 2015.

Share 30 Retweet 10 Send via email0

Chicago Cubs Transactions Matt Murton

MLBTR Seeking Part-Time Writer
Main
Cubs Claim C.J. Riefenhauser, Designate Edgar Olmos
View Comments (14)
newest oldest

Comments

  1. chitown311

    7 years ago

    When the word nostalgia is used in a signing, I stop reading

    Reply
    • aprogie

      7 years ago

      chill out dude

      Reply
    • PhilliesFan012

      7 years ago

      I’m sure MLBTR will be so disappointed you didn’t read this

      Reply
    • Cam

      7 years ago

      You don’t stop reading.

      Reply
  2. maxpowers

    7 years ago

    Good for him, I never understood why no one have him a chance after his solid seasons with the Cubs.

    Reply
  3. A'sfaninUK

    7 years ago

    Great story, but not a great fit. Hope he crushes at AAA and another team claims him so he can play in the bigs somewhat regularly this season.

    Reply
    • baseballrat

      7 years ago

      Depth. never no when injuries can happen

      Reply
  4. ray_derek

    7 years ago

    Time to bust out my #19 Matt Murton jersey that was a converted Hee Seop Choi jersey.

    Reply
  5. andrewf

    7 years ago

    I’d say soler might have to earn his spot, in the chance murton might be able to take his spot in right field.

    Reply
    • rayrayner

      7 years ago

      Nah, Murton is going to take Adron Chambers place in AAA.

      Reply
    • LaffitesLanding

      7 years ago

      Chris Coghlan (Inspelled it right this time!) already ensures that Soler (and Schwarber) can’t get too comfortable but I doubt Murton does much to push the needle on that. Except he becomes a viable Coghlan platoon partner. The Cubs seem to be preparing for every eventuality.

      Reply
  6. LaffitesLanding

    7 years ago

    I love this move! Not just because Murton is an old Cub and a cult favorite (which he is) for some Cub fans; but also because if either Soler or Schwarber crap out at the major league level, Murton becomes a perfect RHB platoon partner for Chris Coghlin and gives the Cubs a really nice alternative.

    I mean, I hope both Soler and Schwarbwr OPS .780 or better but one of them is struggling around .710 or so come May 15, I could totally see them being sent down.

    Excellent depth signing for a team that seems committed to having many different options at many different positions!

    Reply
  7. cubfanforever

    7 years ago

    This guy always could hit.
    It’s a no brainier to sign him to a minor league deal.

    Reply
  8. cubfanforever

    7 years ago

    This guy always could hit.
    A no brainier to sign him to a minor league deal.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Jacob deGrom To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Blue Jays Option Alek Manoah

    Reds Promote Elly De La Cruz

    Red Sox Designate Raimel Tapia For Assignment

    Mets Designate Tomas Nido For Assignment, Activate Omar Narvaez

    MLB Hires Albert Pujols As Special Assistant

    Guardians Designate Zach Plesac For Assignment

    Diamondbacks Extend Torey Lovullo Through 2024

    Red Sox Place Chris Sale On Injured List With Shoulder Inflammation

    Reds Disinclined To Trade Jonathan India

    Yankees Activate Stanton, Donaldson, Kahnle; Rodon Transferred To 60-Day IL

    Tigers Place Riley Greene On Injured List Due To Stress Reaction In Fibula

    Braves Select AJ Smith-Shawver, Designate Lucas Luetge

    Orioles Sign Aaron Hicks, Place Cedric Mullins On IL

    Brewers Designate Luke Voit For Assignment

    White Sox To Activate Liam Hendriks From Injured List

    Royals Release Hunter Dozier

    Yankees Release Aaron Hicks

    Brewers Sign Julio Teheran To Major League Deal

    Red Sox Move Corey Kluber To Bullpen

    Recent

    Upcoming Club Option Decisions: AL West

    Nationals’ Victor Arano To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

    Matt Beaty Elects Free Agency

    Best Deadline Rental Returns In Recent History, #10: Mets Get A Bullpen Fixture For Duda

    Dodgers Sign Kole Calhoun, Mike Montgomery To Minor League Deals

    Twins Place Byron Buxton On IL With Rib Contusion

    Reds Outright Frank German

    Jacob deGrom To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Padres Designate David Dahl For Assignment

    Blue Jays Option Alek Manoah

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version