In a minor signing that flew under our radar at the time, the Cubs picked up veteran infielder/outfielder Chris Coghlan on a minor league contract just prior to Opening Day (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney). The 32-year-old Coghlan has batted just .190/.292/.307 over the past two seasons but was a productive bat for the Cubs in 2014-15, hitting .265/.346/.447 in 935 plate appearances. As Mooney noted, his late signing sent him to extended Spring Training to open the season, though Coghlan seems likely to eventually join Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate in Iowa.
Here’s more from the NL Central…
- The Cardinals announced that they’ve placed right-hander Sam Tuivailala on the 10-day disabled list with a strain in his left knee and recalled right-hander Mike Mayers from Triple- A Memphis. Mayers isn’t required to spend the 10-day minimum in the minors following an optional assignment because he’s directly replacing a player who was placed on the big league DL. Tuivailala, 25, quietly stepped up with a nice season in St. Louis last year, pitching to a 2.55 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 48.8 percent ground-ball rate. The Cards didn’t give a timeline on Tuivailala’s return, though the DL placement is backdated to April 10, so he can return in just over a week.
- Pirates outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds will undergo surgery to remove the fractured hook from the hamate bone in his left wrist, the team told reporters (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Adam Berry). The Pittsburgh organization didn’t provide a timeline, though prior instances of that injury in the Majors have often come with a timeline around six weeks. (Each injury, of course, comes with its own set of circumstances.) Reynolds, whom the Pirates acquired in the trade that sent Andrew McCutchen to San Francisco, incurred the injury on a swing early in the Double-A season.
Would rather have Chris Coghlan on the Cubs instead of Effren Navarro.
They are the very definition of replacement players.
Good luck back in Chicago. I’ll never forget you for that amazing dive to score a run when the Jays were down playing in St. Louis. Probably the highlight of the Jays’ 2017 season (not that there were many).
6 weeks to resume playing from the hamate surgery, likely an entire year before he hits for power again.
Always liked Coghlan when he played with the Cubs. Numbers didn’t show it, but he made good contact and was a solid defensive piece. Good guy to have around the clubhouse and hopefully has some luck (if he were to be called up to fill in). Quality guy, shame he never lived up to expectations after his rookie year. Nice to have backup like him in Iowa/in September.
you know there are numbers for contact quality right?
Nice to have a member of the 2016 World Series roster available.
The cubs window has shut. They are in the beginning stages of a downward slide. Things are going to get very ugly fast for them. Cub fans had better cling to that once in a hundred years little victory that they had.
Thanks Dr. Doom.
Not!!!
Nothing like a themed post to start the weekend.
Or another bad team whipping up on the cubs to start the weekend. It’s over.
Your troll jobs aren’t even original, but I’m glad I got you to respond. I don’t see that very often.
Yeah they are probably too old now. Their opening day lineup had an average age of 26.4 and that included a 34 year old Lester…smh
Somebody in the Cubs front office has a man-crush on Chris Coghlan!
Well he does come in handy when you need a dirty slide into second
*yawn*
Why sign this guy? There are plenty of guys at AAA who deserve a chance and are playing well. Aside from Hanneman and Zurgunis who had their shot, the Cubs should give the Rademacher kid a shot. He can hit and I’ve heard from reports that his defense and arm is very good.