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.
If only they would have done this last week, we could have signed Harper
They’re putting the savings in a piggy bank for Trout
They’d still be paying Darvish and Heyward by that point, along with obviously extending Bryant or Contreras
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.
Lmao and what makes you think they will be able to extend Bryant?
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Lol you’re never getting Trout. I could see the following:
Best shots:
Phillies
Angels
For back breaking money:
Dodgers
Yankees
Sounds like the olive “Branch” was taken back.
This is a reach if I’ve ever seen one.
That was weak but I like what you were going for. Thumps up
too bad it’s brach not branch
They should Branch out for Kimbrell…..
Sound like disabled list coming…
Injured List now! Lol
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
dunno, “injured” is less likely to offend then “disabled”
im surprised either has a chance to offend at all
How about the “less than well” list?
Welcome to the millennial world.
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.
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”
Must have been one hell of a viral infection to lose that much money. Very strange
Similar offers on a similar timeframe, like possible evidence of actual (rather than “soft”) collusion?
Yep. Absolutely no doubt there is collusion amongst the owners/teams.
Why not just use a mutual option then?
Dumpster Diving Theo.
I think just about any team would be happy to have Brach with that contract
Except the White Sox, who wouldn’t be willing to gaurantee half of it.
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.
>> “$1mil + ???????”
That’s a lot of NyQuil
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
shhh, don’t let X hear.
Epstein never signed an injured free against he didn’t like.
Free against qualifications for the cubs #1 – injured- signed right away!
Proofread, funny man.
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.