8:46pm: The contract breaks down as a $3MM salary for Smyly in 2018, then $7MM in 2019, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). The latter season contains $6MM in incentives based on Smyly being a starter, with the other bonuses coming if he works as a reliever.
8:01pm: The Cubs have signed left-hander Drew Smyly to a two-year deal, the team announced. Financial terms weren’t released, though The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that Smyly will earn $10MM in guaranteed money, with more than $7MM also available in incentives. Smyly is represented by Frontline.
Smyly underwent Tommy John surgery last June, and is probably unlikely to pitch in 2018 given the procedure’s usual 12-15 month recovery timeframe. This led the Mariners to non-tender Smyly rather than pay the southpaw a projected $6.85MM arbitration salary in 2018. Smyly was entering his final year of arb-eligibility, so this deal with the Cubs will also cover his first free agent season.
The two-year commitment represents a lottery ticket for Chicago, who have the resources to take a flier on a still-promising 28-year-old in the hopes that Smyly can be healthy and ready to contribute in 2019. Cubs manager Joe Maddon and pitching coach Jim Hickey are familiar faces for Smyly from his time with the Rays from 2014-16.
Smyly has a 3.74 ERA, 8.7 K/9 and 3.43 K/BB rate over 570 1/3 career innings with the Tigers and Rays. He came to Tampa as part of the blockbuster deal that sent David Price to Detroit at the 2014 trade deadline, and Smyly was also involved in a notable trade last January, going to Seattle for a three-player package that included Mallex Smith. Unfortunately for the M’s, Smyly ended up never throwing a pitch in their uniform, as he battled elbow problems all season long before finally succumbing to the TJ surgery.
Oh.
Tani
I might take that new chick from logistics.
Let’s Go
Why not I guess
Does he get a bonus for Cy votes?
Lol
Isn’t Smyly gonna be out for the year following Tommy John surgery last summer?
I belive so
Yes
Yes
I believe so, but the rays did this type of deal last year with Nathan Eovaldi. Works out on both ends because the player gets some guaranteed money in the event the injury is a career killer and the team gets a better deal for the second, hopefully healthy year
I don’t see where the Cubs got any discount for basically giving him $3M to rehab. 2019 is worth $9M which he would be.lucky to get on the open market after not pitching for so long. Waste of money.
He’s out all of 2018, so It’s basically $10M guaranteed for 2019, and up to $17M if he pitches well. Certainly he has a good track record and has been a good young pitcher, but didn’t pitch particularly well his last healthy year in Tampa (2016). You would have thought he would be on a “make good” contract for $5M plus incentives, but I guess if the Cubs are willing to pay him $10M then that’s the market.
You will return sometime next season in the second half most likely out of the bullpen
Low risk. So long as there are more moves, then why not?
Shows you what baseball has become when 10mil is a low risk
No Alex Cobb then?
Smyly is out for 2018 after TJ surgery, so it shouldn’t affect that.
Which confuses me as to why this move was even made.
Didn’t see that. Thanks. I hope they go after him.
The Cubs like him for 2019. Rehab him internally in 2018, and roll with a six-man rotation in 2019.
Saving money by signing him early? Maybe they pay more in 2018, and less in 2019 than they otherwise would have. 2019 comes with luxury tax too, if they end up signing Harper.
Really reaching for straws here, though. Count me also perplexed.
I see them as buying the 6 Man rotation.
Why not?
First off all smart leaders like Theo look ahead not just on one season. Next he is not out for all of 2018. Expect to see him out of the bullpen in August or September
Hope Not
Smyly doesn’t count for this season, so if they’re in on Cobb, this won’t affect it.
Smyly counts for both a 40 man roster spot to start the season and for $3 million. If they are in on Cobb, they have to waive someone else from the 40 man roster.
Cubs 40 man is only at 36 after Morrow. And won’t Smyly be put on 60-day DL at start of spring training? I guess 1 less rule 5 spot
Yes but the Cubs can’t lut him on the 60 day DL until spring training
Smyly will be on 60 man DL and will not count on 40 man roster and this has zero negative impact on anything they are doing for 2018
This has no affect on their pursuit for Cobb, Lynn, or whoever else they are interested in.
if you got the money to risk, why not?
It is not just money, its a 40 man roster spot all offseason.
Is it that big of a concern to sacrifice one 40 man roster spot during the offseason? Asking earnestly…I’m sure there are plenty of scenarios where that 1 spot would turn out to be quite important, but generally speaking, wouldn’t it be quite doable to work around that 1 spot during this offseason?
During the season, he would be placed on the 60 day DL, meaning that he wouldn’t count against the 40 man roster…Correct?
I could also be misunderstanding the rules here.
“The 60-day DL does not require the player to be counted on either the team’s active roster or its 40-man roster; however, a team’s 40-man roster must be full in order for the option of a placement on the 60-day disabled list to be available”
Its not a 40 man roster spot. He will go on 60 man DL
Welcome to Six Man Island next season.
Except, he is out for next season.
He could be back by August
Hooray! Theo is a genius! Love this move!-Things Cubbie fanboys will say
Hooray! Theo is a genius! Love this move!
Or his track record is pretty good, and it’s not our money.
Love to see Theo in a small market budget
He’s definitely taken advantage of the Boston/ Chicago markets. Not to say he couldn’t still be successful elsewhere
Actually, I thought Huh? and I’m you’re favorite fanboy.
THis is going to cost us to lose 100 games. We will be back to cellar dwellers. We could have had Ohtani, Davis, Jake, and Stanton had we just not signed this guy.
THings people like you will say,
Naw Chicity311 is just a white sox troll. Miserable in his life and who could blame him if the White Sox are his team
Theo is a genius. I love this move! Why not chicity311. What is the downside?
Its a good move and you know it and it just burns you up huh little boy
We are locking up so many manageable salaries to players with multiple years of contract control it really seems like the cubbies are planning to sign a big name free agent RF next season 🙂
I wonder who that could be?
Maybe they can find a way to let Harper DH for Heyward. They’d be getting one heck of a 2-way player if they could pull that one off.
If he does come back down the stretch in 2018, Cubs will probably use him as a bullpen guy to not only limit his workload but also to have another bullpen arm. Maybe he is going to be a bullpen guy for 2019 too?
It’s a good thing most Cubs fans are heavily sedated on the Blue Koolaid. These aren’t the kind of offseason moves you’d expect from a big market team contending team with motivated ownership. I would be pissed if the Sox pulled this kind of #&!@.
I would be more pissed if my teams cross town rival consistently is going deep into the playoffs while my team is deep in the cellar
ohhhhhhhhh
The lil Jimmy Cubs fan doesn’t get what’s happening across town. Don’t worry, all will be revealed when the White Sox hoist the Pennant in 3 or 4 years.
For a fan of a team known and “loved” for being pathetic losers, you sure are feeling yourselves these day. It’s all good though, I’m not a Cub hater. But you need to get your facts straight about the Mighty Pale Hose. We rarely if ever finish in last place.
Yes, Sox fans usually get mad when their team wins the division, makes multiple pick ups and then decides to make a deal that good be a major steal in a year.
Nah. We’re just not short-sighted. The young position player core needs to get locked up and they’re obviously going to be somewhat reserved for their run at Harper next off-season.
Furthermore, what players of value are really out there right now? You have no idea who they’re in on.
But the front office isn’t interested in getting older guys, especially pitchers looking for 5-7 year contracts. They fully expect their low-A pitching studs to be producing in the majors in the next three seasons or so, as they attacked pitching in quantity the past couple seasons.
Last thing they want to do is add more Lester-like deals and not only tie up money needed to re-sign Bryant, Contreras, etc, but also have a dead weight in the rotation blocking a pitcher in 2020 or 2021…
@chisoxcity
You are pissed. We all know it. You are stuck with the white sox and no one cares about them even when they won.
Ouch that must sting!!
The Sox are progressing, the Cubs are regressing… nope, nothing to be pissed about if you’re a Sox fan. You better hope Ricketts starts spending some of that dough he’s bathing in soon, or things will get ugly in Wriggleyville.
How do incentive-heavy contracts calculate towards the luxury tax?
So the guy gets 3 million in 2018 to not even pitch? I’m not sure I understand this at all lol. Why not wait until the guy is healthy and he can pitch? I need to send a memo out to teams letting them know I’m not available to pitching in 2018 and see what I can get lol. All joking aside, good for him..hope he can recover quickly and come back at full strength and if he can that’s a good pick up for the Cubs.
Because he is not going to set unsigned for a year
Well genius if they wait until he could pitch who says we can sign him. Other teams who think like you who did not have the vision would jump in. What do you not understand
Have you pitched 600 major league innings with a WHIP of 1.19 and a 9.6 WAR before your 28th birthday?
Maybe that’s why theCubs are willing to take a knee for 2018 and see how he heals up.
I don’t think he’s “unlikely to pitch in 2018”. There’s a chance he won’t, but also he could be ready to go in 11 months. Doesn’t seem like the right word to use there.
He should definitely go back to being a reliever, he was awesome when he was in the bullpen.
I dig it. Low risk, medium to high reward? Quite possibly a bullpen guy going forward, especially if we sign another starter…though I suppose a 6 man rotation next year isn’t out of the question. This just seems like a “why not” sort of move. If you have the money and can take the risk, why not risk having a potential 3.50 ERA guy in the mix? I’d rather have the surplus.
I’m terribly excited for the Cubs to start developing some starting pitchers of their own. Given how many Theo and co. have drafted / signed internationally over the last few years, it would be great to see at least 1 of them become an impact starter. Tseng could be a #5 kind of guy. Ideally, once Chatwood’s / Quintana’s contracts are up, Oscar De La Cruz and Adbert Alzolay will be ready to pitch in the majors–the fickle nature of prospects makes me doubt this, but they’ve looked pretty okay when healthy thus far.
DeLa Cruz , from what I’ve read, gets injured waking up and stretching. ,
Ha. Yeah. He’s only made 34 starts over the last 3 years since starting at Low A.
He might be headed for a bullpen role if injuries continue to pile up. I also don’t know if all his injuries were shoulder / arm related–assuming so.
Meanwhile their division rivals are going after big name free agents and superstar third baseman. Sounds reasonable
None of which actually want to play in St. Louis.
They will play there for the money. Or unless they get traded there because they actually have prospects left.
Uh, no they won’t. Stanton just proved that, and Hayward turned down more money to NOT play there.
Because we need a third basemen?
Chatwood and Morrow don’t matter, huh?
I guess, you would rather “go after” guys and not get them
Yes they do need a third baseman put Bryant in left and trade Scwarber with someone else for a starting pitcher.
Are you the guy who used to echo how untouchable Schwarber is?
That’s what happens when their division rivals have sat home and watched them play in three consecutive NLCS
Oh wow they “are going after” them how. Wow impressive. Who has our rivals signed
Under the radar type guy who could win 20 games
Man, it guts me that the M’s didn’t do this. He is a great player. Hope he bounces back and he and the Cubs are both thrilled with how this works out.
Don’t the Cubs need a leadoff hitter?
I have to assume that Almora will slide into this role? He needs to learn how to work counts / take walks in order to be a decent leadoff hitter though. He had a fairly low strike-out rate last year, but only 19 walks in 300 AB’s is troubling.
271 AVG 291 OBP vs righties with 6 walks
342 AVG 411 OBP vs lefties with 13 walks in 77 less AB’s.
If he could get that OBP up to 350-375, I think that he could slot as a decent lead-off guy–I mean, as far as in house candidates go.
No. They have 8 position players and a couple others who are starting quality. The guy they bat first will be the lead off hitter in inning one of that game. Then the guy after the guy who made the last out that inning will be the lead off batter for inning two. This craziness will occur throughout the game and then the whole process will repeat itself 161 more times until the end of the regular season.
Seriously though. A lead-off hitter leads off generally once a game, and teams are now more inclined to put their best hitters batting 1-3 so they can see more at-bats over the course of the season. Much more valuable than getting stuck in the rut of doing ways a certain way simply because of tradition. Teams look at numbers and numbers don’t lie.
Yes so whats your point? They cannot sign anyone else they have to only go after a leadoff hitter. I believe they lead the league in runs scored without “a leadoff” hitter. Dont worry about it
Since Smyly won’t pitch in 2018, the Cubs are in essence paying $10 million plus incentives for Smyly to be a reliever in 2019? They used a 40 man roster spot for him? I’m confused. What could they possibly be thinking?
They are thinking they have the money, so let’s take a shot.
What in God’s name is wrong with that?
I guarantee, had he went to another team, you would be waiting for him to have a good year, so you could whine.
Teams do this all the time. This is nothing new under the sun. Look at Tyson Ross etc
Likely scenario is that he is pitching in late August or September out of the bullpen to audition for 2018 playoffs, and the $6 million incentive is for starting in 2019 with a $1 million incentive if he is still in the bullpen.
Good riddance, what a disappointment from a Mariners fans perspective. Knew he shouldn’t have pitched in the world classics. He was just selfish not a team player in my opinion
I don’t get the lack of excitment for this move. It’s a one year deal for 2019 worth 10 million. If Smyly takes 14 months to rehab from TJS, then he can return as a reliever in September and be a big boost for the 2018 postseason. A healthy Smyly would command 5-6 years at 20 million AAV, so this is a bargain lottery ticket.
Uhhh… what?
20 m aav lmfao
Full? How do? This guy is injured. I have a theory on this Mike Montgomery wants to start or be traded rumor(Ken Rosenthal).
This is way out there too, but allow me.
Whomever is in the running for Alex Cobb wants to pressure the Cubs into losing attention and/or giving second thought to signing A. Cobb. So that they can swoop in and sign him. Thoughts…..and be gentle
How on earth do pressure a team into losing focus on going after a guy?
My thought is you have no clue what you are talking about.
It is simple.
If you want him for 2019, you have to sign him for 2018.
If he works out, he is going to be worth it. If not, the money is not going to cost Chicago a championship.
I wanted them to do this with Eovaldi.
That guy has good stuff. Maybe a little akin to Morrow earlier in his career. I could see him with a Hickey and Maddon (see what I did there) or a duo of the same caliber, making him a wily ole veteran that gets really good like Jake Arrieta did at age 30.
Man I wish Arrieta would take a 4 year deal to stay in Chicago. I’m all over the place. I also wish we would’ve kept Eloy Jimenez and D. Cease and signed Cobb AND Arrieta this year. Hopefully Quintana turns it on like he was 2/3 years ago and grabs this #2 spot. Or #1 spot. This season or next, Jon Lester will slip to a 2nd or 3rd starter. Loss of velo , need for less IP and more rest, etc…
And Quintana or Hendricks(if he takes next step and becomes more like “The Professor “….If they don’t grab it , and a miracle happen like Arrieta re-signs or Cobb becomes an Ace-like arm, the Cubs will have a rotation of these type arms:
1spot in rotation #2type (Lester)
2spot in rotation #2type (Hendricks)
3spot in rotation #2type (Quintana)
4spot in rotation #3type (Cobb)
5spot in rotation #5type but will look like a number 4 because of the great team he’ll be on(Chatwood)
With all the talk of a potential Bryce Harper signing next year, how are we figuring he would fit in the line-up?
I assume everyone hopes that Heyward will opt out, though there will be little incentive for him to do so. If we sign Harper, can we assume the Cubs try to unload Heyward by absorbing a lot of his contract? Over the last 5 years of his deal he is owed over 100 million…Could the Cubs afford to eat a large portion of Heyward’s deal AND sign Bryce Harper, while also figuring long-term extensions for guys like Bryant, Rizzo, Hendricks and etc. coming up? It doesn’t seem like they could theoretically afford both, at least not for long.
Cubs have finally unloaded some contracts, haven’t been over the luxury tax lately, so no penalties to worry about, and still have a few years to get players signed to long-term deals. By then, they’re hopeful to have their own network launched. And I’m sure that there’s some hope there that if they sign Bryant’s home time friend that Bryant himself will be more inclined to sign an extension instead of following Boras down the highway to hell.
Or move Schwarber and Russell for a true #1. Move Heyward or prob Harper to LF and sign a good backup middle infielder to replace your new lack of depth. Castro? He’d come home with something to prove. Happ can be 4th OF and play 2B. All kinds of options. Zobrist would be a great 8 place hitter. Most patient hitter in the game. And older. Happ would play plenty spelling him. If that happened lineup would change to…Almora and Javy “El Mago” need to play everyday!
1 Almora Or 1 Almora
2 Harper 2 Baez/Contreras
3 Bryant 3 Harper
4 Rizzo 4 Bryant
5 Baez 5 Rizzo
6 Heyward 6 Contreras/Baez
7 Contreras 7Heyward/Happ
8 Zobrist 8Zobrist
I hope Maddon plays Almora and Javy as everyday guys so they can start to excel at this level. I hope he bats Zo 8th. I also hope he won’t be scared to extend the lineup. I used to make my lineups like his so my best guys got more AB’s. But having protection and table setters Nd spark plugs really does help. AND, could you imagine a team with Javy Baez, Bryce Harper, and Willson Contreras?!!!? And the rest, but those guys are arguably 3 of the most “EXCITING ” players to watch in MLB
Right now!
1 Almora
2 Harper
3 Bryant
4 Rizzo
5 Baez
6 Schwarber
7 Contreras
8 Happ
The Cubs still need a closer, another starter, and lead off hitter. If they continue to roll the dice on cheap alternatives, their playoff run is in serious jeopardy in 2018. You heard it here first folks.
If they have those lineups and a good pitching staff, the Sox and Cubs wove a great matchup for a while! And likely a World Series one at that!
In your dreams chisoxcity.
How are the White Sox moves doing? You must be so exicted
This makes no sense. They didn’t get him for cheap at all and they signed him for this year?… and next year…but he’s not pitching to his year?…The f*#k…..He’s getting 3 million for this year and he doesn’t even have to pitch. Smylys agent is a hustler. Good contract Drew. Theo you must be really bored.
And! This guy ate the most innings in 2016 (175) and had an ERA over 4! I saw some people say, “he has 20 wins stuff or he’s gonna be great.” He has never shown any signs that he can be great. Maybe as a reliever, but if that’s the case than I would have put so many classes on his contract. So many! Especially if I’m giving a guy that is not proven anything 10 million dollars just to work out.
They burn a 40-man roster spot this off-season (he goes on the 60-day DL in ST) for the right to control Smyly’s 2019. Additionally, paying him 10 million over two seasons only counts 5 million per season towards the luxury tax. If they sign him for 10 million in 2019, all 10 million counts that season. Plus, he might pitch in 2018.
I don’t particularly love it. For instance, Miles Mikolas for 15.5 over two years seems like a better gamble. But it is defensible.
I agree! I really do. Maybe they’re waiting for Alzolay, Maples, to give them that cheap cheap controllable arm or 2. I think they need an Ace. To me Arrieta is younger because of his physical condition. If I don’t resign him, I try and sign Darvish . Or Cobb and Duffy and move Chatwood to pen. They saw how bullpens rule now. They need Davis, McGee, or the other really good lefty, and Addison Reed. Trade Grimm and maybe even Strop or Monty, if he’s really unhappy or 1 other guy for a good prospect.
CL-Davis
SU-Morrow
SU-McGee
SU-Reed
LP-Duensing!!!!!
RP-Edwards
LR-Montgomery
Maybe Chatwood
1-Arrieta
2 Lester
3 Hendricks
4 Quintana
5. Cobb
Strong
I want real thought on this.
I know a 2 year deal has benefits for pitchers(mainly injuries)
But if you can give Lackey 17 /yr at age 36/37, why not sign Arrieta through his age 37 season for 17/18/19 per year? He’s in better shape and with the right guy to repeat his delivery, we’ve seen arguably the best pitcher in the game ever! Before you all blow up!!! I meant the second half of his CY young award winning season. That was amazing. And his stuff is still there. He’s just getting too much movement for some calls. Too much in a bad way instead of a good way. And if he could ever hit and get that outside corner consistently with that delivery and that comeback whip it does… he’d throw 2 more No-Hitters and a perfect game! I said IF! Which isn’t probable. But it’s as likely as the dice roll on Chatwood? Smyly?
Did it ever occur to you that Arrieta would have to agree to that 4 year deal @$17 M and if he did the Cubs would sign him
Looks like the Cubs have ceded control of the nl central back to the Cardinals.