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Cubs Release Junichi Tazawa

By Ty Bradley | March 23, 2019 at 1:14pm CDT

Per Chris Cotillo of Masslive.com, the Cubs have released reliever Junichi Tazawa.

Tazawa had a strong spring for Chicago, striking out nine in just 5 2/3 IP while not allowing a run. The 32-year-old was fighting for the last spot in the Cubs pen, but was on the heels of back-to-back dreadful campaigns in 2017 and ’18.

Tazawa was excellent in a four-year stretch for the Red Sox from 2012-15, distancing himself from walks and homers while keeping hitters at bay with his trademark splitter. A velocity drop in 2016 spelled doom, though, as the righty soon found himself frequent prey for power hitters across both leagues. A two-year, $12MM deal with Miami prior to the 2017 season was a disaster – the Marlins dumped the righty in mid-May after he allowed six homers in just twenty low-leverage innings.

The excellent spring numbers, if perhaps indicative of a return to form, should help the veteran righty latch on somewhere. It’s a bit of a surprise he couldn’t crack the in-flux Cubs ’pen, though perhaps the velocity and secondary stuff simply continue to languish.

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Chicago Cubs Transactions Junichi Tazawa

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View Comments (12)

Comments

  1. david klein

    3 years ago

    Hello Mets?

    Reply
    • gomerhodge71

      3 years ago

      Why? He may put in a decent April, then tire out again. He has serious durability issues.

      Reply
  2. stevebaratta

    3 years ago

    A good spring so they released him?

    Reply
    • CubsRule08

      3 years ago

      They’re releasing him because they don’t have an open spot for him in the bullpen, and releasing him gives him an opportunity to sign with some other team.

      Hardly the first time it’s ever happened.

      Reply
      • hchase27

        3 years ago

        Though the article says the Cubs bullpen is in flux. So still odd they released him

        Reply
        • Steven Juris

          3 years ago

          Doubt he has options left. The last bullpen reliever will he sent down when Morrow comes back.

        • petrie000

          3 years ago

          They probably just like other options better. Cubs have a lot of relievers in camp.

          Despite his game numbers they may also not trust his durability or his ability to sustain his spring numbers

        • ddevonb

          3 years ago

          In flux just means they haven’t made all of their final decisions. Cutting him means they made one of them.

      • tim815

        3 years ago

        They had three options.

        Add him to the 40
        Keep him around, off the 40, and pay him $100,000, likely meaning he goes to Triple-A.
        Release him.

        That’s it, that’s all.

        Reply
  3. andrew farelli

    3 years ago

    The Royals will probably want him.

    Reply
    • TrimReaper

      3 years ago

      Possibly Toronto.

      Reply
  4. Justabit0utside

    3 years ago

    Milwaukee?

    Reply

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