The Cubs have signed free-agent lefty Brian Matusz to a minor league contract, reports Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). The longtime Orioles southpaw was recently traded from Baltimore to Atlanta alongside a Competitive Balance Draft Pick in a salary dump deal. The Braves immediately designated Matusz for assignment upon making the deal and released him shortly thereafter.
The 29-year-old Matusz missed significant time with an intercostal strain this season and has struggled when healthy enough to take the mound. He’s surrendered eight runs in six innings while allowing 11 hits and seven walks with just one strikeout. Those unsightly numbers aside, Matusz has a solid track record in the bullpen, where he posted a combined 3.32 ERA with 9.4 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 in 151 2/3 innings from 2013-15. In that time he faced 333 lefties and held them to a miserable .190/.245/.320 batting line with a 100-to-17 K/BB ratio.
While off-hand comparisons to Orioles-castoff-turned-Cubs-ace Jake Arrieta are probably unavoidable, there’s not much of a parallel here, as Matusz has already been cast aside by a second team and already has enough service time to become a free agent at season’s end, whereas Arrieta was acquired in a trade with four and a half years of club control remaining. Matusz, however, will be stretched out as a starter with Triple-A Iowa, according to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, so it appears he’ll at least be presented with an opportunity to show that he has some rotation upside remaining. Of course, the Cubs don’t have a spot in their rotation that is open at the moment — Arrieta, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel have all pitched to a 3.05 ERA or better — but Matusz could be a depth piece in the event of an injury to one of those five or a safety net should Clayton Richard’s recent struggles in the bullpen persist.
Cy young next year I called it .
They should try him in the rotation
It’s now being reported that is exactly what they are going to do
I had a feeling the Cubs would sign him. Totally fits what they do. Like the move. Low risk/high reward potential
What kind of trade do you propose?
The next Arrieta.
Well cubs got their lefty reliever lol
Well, Clayton Richards’ days are are numbered if Matusz can be effective at AAA.
Definitely not the answer but worth a roll of the dice
The fact that he was cast aside by a second team is irrelevant. He didn’t throw a pitch or attend a workout for the Braves – they were always just going to release him upon acquiring. He never had a chance to work with their coaches or be reworked like the Cubs will be doing. This is his second chance, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn things around and succeed as a starter.
The O’s messed with and put absurd limitations on Arrietta, and now he’s a success with a different approach. Matusz was subject to similar restraints, but had a top-notch pedigree coming out of SDSU or whatever SoCal school he attended.
Well stated
Does anyone know if the Cubs released Alex Sanabia? He gave up a bunch of runs on the 11th in minors and he’s listed on MILB as released but I couldn’t find any official word.
Yes
link to milb.com
Good to see pirates management ante up and get a decent bullpen arm. Wait they didn’t! They never do do they? Guess that’s why the cub rebuild has gone far past my favorite teams!
Richards is done as a Cubs .There weakest link in a strong Bullpen . I hope Matuze replace him he’ll any LHRP is better than him so many chance from spring training he sucked and taking a spot from Edwards or someone
Conception might be the Cubs answer it here we go another Henry guy no love from Theo
Any trade that include parts of Vogelbalm,McKinny,Edwards,Canderla Caratina should feel lucky to get any of this professional would be lucky all the above can start on other teams in both league. Plus we could throw Richards in for a change of scenery
Well at least 1 of the guys you mentioned is a real player, so I guess it could be worse…