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Cubs, Brad Brach Restructure Contract

By Steve Adams and Jeff Todd | March 4, 2019 at 5:01pm CDT

The Cubs and right-hander Brad Brach quietly restructured their original contract following Brach’s medical reviews, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Brach says “a little bit of a viral infection” caused the change.

It appears the new pact promises Brach at least $3MM. Like the first iteration, it has quite a few moving parts.

The two sides initially agreed to a $4.35MM deal that included a $3MM base salary for 2019. It also came with competing club/player options that put at least $1.35MM in Brach’s control for the 2020 campaign.

Under the new agreement, Brach’s ’19 base salary will be just $1.65MM. He’ll have the ability to earn an additional $850K worth of bonuses based on days spent on the active roster, with $350K due for just one single day. After the season, the Cubs will decide between a $5MM option and a $100K buyout. If declined, Brach can exercise a player option at $1.35MM.

At the end of the day, it seems the Cubs will get an even better buy on a solid relief arm. Brach, who’ll soon turn 33, has worked to a 3.08 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 over 456 career innings in the majors. The veteran hurler says he’s excited to join the Cubs, but joined a growing list of players to raise an eyebrow at a free-agent process in which he received similar offers on a similar timeline from multiple teams.

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Chicago Cubs Transactions Brad Brach

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39 Comments

  1. cjbay

    6 years ago

    If only they would have done this last week, we could have signed Harper

    6
    Reply
    • cubbieforever

      6 years ago

      They’re putting the savings in a piggy bank for Trout

      3
      Reply
      • nmendoza7

        6 years ago

        They’d still be paying Darvish and Heyward by that point, along with obviously extending Bryant or Contreras

        4
        Reply
        • dray16

          6 years ago

          Bryant is never getting extended in Chicago, Contreras is debatable. Baez and Rizzo will get new deals, and Lester will be gone, they can afford Trout if they want to. Heyward and Darvish are signed though 2023 and Darvish’s annual salary actually drops the last few years.

          1
          Reply
        • Grizalt

          6 years ago

          Lmao and what makes you think they will be able to extend Bryant?

          2
          Reply
        • johnrealtime

          6 years ago

          I don’t know if this is the same guy, but I have seen this said many times before in this comment section. In another example of the commenteriat’s love for a good narrative, they have decided that the Cubs delaying his service time in 2015 has caused bad blood and he will never sign an extension with them regardless of the money.

          While an extension is no sure thing, I think that it is possible if the cubs are willing to cough up arenado type money. IMO they should jump on it ASAP before he regains some of his lost value form last year

          2
          Reply
        • Grizalt

          6 years ago

          But then there are Cubs fans like nmendoza7 and ThatBallwasBryzzoed who seem to think a Kris Bryant extension is a foregone conclusion.

          In reality, everyone has a price, but him being a Boras client and the service time manipulation thing don’t seem likely to make that price any lower.

          2
          Reply
        • CubsRebsSaints

          6 years ago

          I think they passed on Harper for the Trout. Theoretically, at least. Or a shot at Trout. I mean he is the better fielder, faster runner, and hits for about 100 points higher in avg. That is a lot.

          Reply
        • ThatBallwasBryzzoed

          6 years ago

          Dont be to sure about Bryant. Whether it’s an extension or a re-sign. The Cubs should spare no expense to keep Bryant. He loves chicago. Which is surprising considering he was born and raised in las Vegas other than this winter it doesnt get as cold as Chicago.. he went to San Diego university which again beautiful city and some of the nicest weather in the country.
          Theres no better fans. Where else can you go and hear the visiting team sing the 7th inning stretch louder than the home team.

          I know for a fact coors field raises their tall boy prices only when 5jr Cubs visit. It goes from $11 and $12 to $13.

          Don’t believe me? Go back and find the April 20th-22nd series vs the Rockies. You can not only see more blue than purple but you can hear them over Rockies fans too.

          2
          Reply
        • nikki29a

          6 years ago

          the way i see the only the cubs extend bryant is to jarssicly overpay to keep him because of the service time fiasco. the question for the cubs is do the give bryant a trout like deal or bigger

          Reply
      • bucketbrew35

        6 years ago

        Lol you’re never getting Trout. I could see the following:
        Best shots:
        Phillies
        Angels
        For back breaking money:
        Dodgers
        Yankees

        2
        Reply
  2. Ully

    6 years ago

    Sounds like the olive “Branch” was taken back.

    2
    Reply
    • myaccount

      6 years ago

      This is a reach if I’ve ever seen one.

      4
      Reply
    • johnrealtime

      6 years ago

      That was weak but I like what you were going for. Thumps up

      Reply
    • partyatnapolis

      6 years ago

      too bad it’s brach not branch

      Reply
  3. bobtillman

    6 years ago

    They should Branch out for Kimbrell…..

    1
    Reply
  4. msqboxer

    6 years ago

    Sound like disabled list coming…

    Reply
    • clrrogers 2

      6 years ago

      Injured List now! Lol

      1
      Reply
      • ThatBallwasBryzzoed

        6 years ago

        That’s not gonna catch on very well. It will be back to the DL within 3 weeks of the season starting. Injured list sound so cliche

        Reply
        • DarkSide830

          6 years ago

          dunno, “injured” is less likely to offend then “disabled”

          Reply
        • Begamin

          6 years ago

          im surprised either has a chance to offend at all

          Reply
        • nymetsking

          6 years ago

          How about the “less than well” list?

          Reply
        • nymetsking

          6 years ago

          Welcome to the millennial world.

          1
          Reply
        • mattcubs

          6 years ago

          Straining a hamstring is better described as an injury than a disability. Disabilities are usually long term physical / emotional conditions that are often stigmatized.

          If we have a language we might as well be precise with it.

          1
          Reply
        • IACub

          6 years ago

          the “I’m not crazy I’m just a little unwell” list. and then for those phantom pitcher stints we can add “I know, right now you can’t tell”

          Reply
  5. johnrealtime

    6 years ago

    Must have been one hell of a viral infection to lose that much money. Very strange

    2
    Reply
  6. pjmcnu

    6 years ago

    Similar offers on a similar timeframe, like possible evidence of actual (rather than “soft”) collusion?

    Reply
    • sportsguy24/7

      6 years ago

      Yep. Absolutely no doubt there is collusion amongst the owners/teams.

      Reply
  7. tylerall5

    6 years ago

    Why not just use a mutual option then?

    Reply
  8. ChiSoxCity

    6 years ago

    Dumpster Diving Theo.

    Reply
    • johnrealtime

      6 years ago

      I think just about any team would be happy to have Brach with that contract

      Reply
      • petrie000

        6 years ago

        Except the White Sox, who wouldn’t be willing to gaurantee half of it.

        1
        Reply
  9. cadagan

    6 years ago

    Exactly what “little bit of Virus” causes a reduction of $1mil + ???????

    I call shenanigans to the 9th power.

    cytomegalovirus – flu – Herpes – zoster – HIV, etc.

    The lesser ones arent a huge concern unless a compromised immune system. Which then the issue would be immune disorder and not a “little bit of virus”.
    I dont think we would call the mid or major ones “little” either.

    Its hipa and were not obligated to know anyway. However, what was said sounds just….odd.

    Reply
    • canocorn

      6 years ago

      >> “$1mil + ???????”

      That’s a lot of NyQuil

      Reply
  10. coocoo

    6 years ago

    Bryant will be a Yankee if andujar doesn’t work out at third. Or if they can move him to first. Whatever needs to happen for Bryant to be a Yankee

    Reply
    • nymetsking

      6 years ago

      shhh, don’t let X hear.

      Reply
  11. citizen

    6 years ago

    Epstein never signed an injured free against he didn’t like.
    Free against qualifications for the cubs #1 – injured- signed right away!

    Reply
    • getright11

      6 years ago

      Proofread, funny man.

      Reply
  12. jleusn

    6 years ago

    This “virus” doesn’t concern me at all. Brach will be better in the NL also and filling same role as Strop once Morrow is healthy. As bad as I want Kimbrel, I say we save for Trout sweepstakes and Contreras/Bryant extensions. For all who don’t think we can afford that…check OverTheCap and then realize who is expendable/replaceable and believe it or not, the farm is rebuidling again in the pitching area. Think Azlolay and Hatch for starters, even Lange and Little. Lester/Hamels will be off the books, Hendricks will be ace and Quintana will be around while much improved as well. Mark it down and remember this.

    1
    Reply

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