The scene in the Cubs clubhouse Friday suggested a DFA was coming for Carlos Gonzalez, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (via Twitter), who noted Gonzalez receiving handshakes and hugs from teammates. CarGo indeed was put on waivers earlier today, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The team has officially announced the move, along with a trio of corresponding roster moves: Cole Hamels goes on the 10-day injured list, while relievers Rowan Wick and Dillon Maples have been recalled from Triple-A.
The Cubs would like to send Gonzalez to the minors, per Heyman, though he would first have to go unclaimed, and second accept the assignment. If he does go unclaimed, the writing would be on the wall for Gonzalez, who then might be willing to accept a minor league assignment to stay in the Cubs organization.
The Gonzalez DFA was precipitated by the Hamels injury, which overtaxed the bullpen and pushed the Cubs to add a pair of arms before today’s game. Hamels left yesterday’s game after one inning with an oblique injury. Mike Montgomery, Brad Brach, and Kyle Ryan each pitched for more than one inning apiece, while Steve Cishek pitched for the second straight game. Maples and Wick rejoin the club today to serve as reinforcements.
CarGo managed a couple of nice moments during his short stint in Chicago, including a diving catch in the outfield in his first weekend, but a listless offensive performance ultimately made him expendable in Chicago, as he had been in Cleveland previous. In 15 games with the Cubs – half as much time as he spent with the Indians – Gonzalez hit only .175/306/.300 with three extra-base hits.
Gonzalez has maintained a good approach in his age-33 season with a 10.8 BB% that’s higher than his career average. Strikeouts have been more frequent (31.3 K%), but even more troubling has been his inability to get any lift. In 166 plate appearances for the Cubs and Indians, Gonzalez has mustered a mere .083 isolated power mark while hitting the ball on the ground 56.4 % of the time. Statcast puts Gonzalez’ launch angle for the year at just 1.7 – not a sustainable mark for a major league hitter.
Gonzalez has fit well in the Cubs clubhouse, and he was a fun attraction for a few weeks, but ultimately the Cubs cannot afford to be patient with the veteran slugger. While there are at-bats for the taking in the Cubs outfield, it’s not necessarily an area of need with Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora, Jason Heyward, and Kris Bryant on hand. They’d certainly prefer a degree of greater offense from Almora in particular, but CarGo is not to be the answer.
Though they will use Gonzalez’ roster spot on a pitcher for the moment, the fourth outfielder role could eventually be returned to Mark Zagunis, who held the role early in the season, or Ian Happ, who continues to refine his approach in Triple-A.
Gee, who could have expected this?
Theo? Is that you?
Give Happ another shot.
No, please don’t. His strikeout problem has been even worse at AAA recently.
Happ has been dreadful at AAA. I’d be surprised if he’s not shopped extensively. Although, the longer he’s in any lineup at this point, the more his value drops. It’s a shame, I always liked the kid as a player, but he’s lost at the plate!
No mention of the Ian Happ is the Patrick Sharp of the Cubs rumor.
Alonso available!
He’s Machado’s driver!
What happened to this guy…. I understand age plays a role but as good as he was, he shouldn’t be this bad
33 isn’t even that old. Nick Markakis, Brian McCann and Josh Donaldson are all older than him and still very productive hitters… and McCann is a catcher and fat to boot! I don’t get why he fell off this hard this fast. Maybe he only hit as well as he did because of the Colorado thin air?
Cargo is a .724 OPS hitter on the road. So yes, Coors helped him.
The wrist injuries have probably caught up to him.
Some players who were all stars slow down earlier then others in their early 30s. Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay, Ryan Howard, Vernon Wells, Carlos Gomez, etc
Looking at Cargo’s career he had 1 great year on the road in 2013 when he hit .332 with 14 HR, and .987 OPS and he had some average to good road splits some years. He was a great fielder with a cannon arm though.
His knees seemed made of glass at times, though, which really effected his defense
In general he was a good player who’s numbers were inflated by favorable park effects who saw his career derailed by injuries
So his apparent fall is unfortunate but not shocking, and only really looks that bad because of an unrealistic set of expectations a lot of people had of him
Begins with a P.
well here’s a well based accusation
Pat could I get an E and a D.
You sure could if you don’t limit your smoking, alcohol and drug intake. Obesity could also play a factor. I would consult a doctor though if you have any more questions.
First time I’ve seen someone flunk WebMD.
When will teams learn he’s washed up and can’t play baseball anymore? Next stop retirement unless the Mets sign him. Knowing BVW Gonzalez will be our starting right fielder in a matter of days
My first thought.
Unless his “veteran leadership” is truly that important in the clubhouse, Descalso should be next. Robel Garcia has been on a tear in AAA and should probably be given a shot at some regular MLB at bats eventually. I’m not opposed to Happ coming back up either, though he still has yet to really work out his problems in AAA.
Also, I’m curious as to which bullpen arms get called up. Rowan Wick and Tony Barnette? Maybe Maples as he has been pretty damn good the last few weeks?
Descalso should be next. And I’m not advocating for a DFA, but almora needs to get fewer at bats.
Yeah. I really dig Almora, but he’s yet to show any consistency with the bat to go along with his stellar defense. I’m also sour on Schwarber at this point. I still think Schwarber could eventually become a 250 hitter with 30+ hr’s, but it’s becoming more and more unlikely. He also has an OBP of 315 and continues to bat leadoff. Something has to give here. I think Maddon and the Cubs management need to do a better job of making sure the best players are on the roster and the best players are on the field. Eventually, the realization has to be made that Almora is a 4th outfielder and Schwarber is…a DH or platoon player.
Swarber is on pace to hot between 35-40hmrs this yr. Your nuts.
And those HR’s would benefit the Cubs with more men on base and not as a leadoff hitter in the NL, no?
Joe Maddon continues to roll out dysfunctional batting orders and the front office hasn’t exactly helped him with roster choices.
Not really. Cubs hitters suck with men on base. Schwarber would just strike out more then he usually does.
Maybe they would suck less if the hitters were put in lineup roles that they were accustomed to for most of their baseball lives before Maddon decided to play musical chairs with all his players.
Aside from some reps in college where the DH is used to replace pitchers in the batting order, Kyle Schwarber never hit #1 until Maddon decided he might make for a good leadoff hitter. That strategy failed so miserably in 2017 that Schwarber needed to go back to AAA to get his stroke and head back in order. When Schwarber returned Maddon wisely hit him almost exclusively in the #5 or #6 slot where his number improved significantly. Then Maddon inexplicably decided to revisit the leadoff experiment again in 2019.
I maintain that Maddon has also continued to misuse Kris Bryant as the Cubs primary #2 hitter. That is a role better suited to high contact “grunts” like Ben Zobrist who hardly ever saw that spot under Maddon in Chicago. Bryant had always been a middle of the order slugger in college, in the Cubs minor league system AND his first couple of MLB seasons when he won back-to-back NL ROY and MVP awards. Maddon couldn’t leave well enough alone and decided it was in the Cubs best interest to move Bryant up to the #2 slot where his production has diminished along with his RBI opportunities.
Those lineup roles have worked for a few years and the only team that uses more lineups….the Dodgers. They seem to be pretty good. 154 different lineups for the Dodgers last year.
As for Bryant batting second, check where Yelich, Trout, Judge, Goldschmidt for most of the year, Votto again hit. It’s amazing how it’s wrong when Maddon does it and wins a high majority when it’s never questioned when others do it.
While I agree with you that Schwarber is probably not going to develop into the hitter that the front office and some of us thought he was, his defense has greatly improved. There’s little merit to the ‘He should be moved to the AL so that he could DH’ that people have asserted over the years.
dropping the ‘he’s a dh only’ thing would force a lot of people to admit over the internet they may have been wrong on something largely irrelevant
and we all know that’s worse than death.
Disagree. Maddon and Theo are the best dtnamic dou in the leauge and together thier almost unbeatable in thedecisions they make
Almora needs to play more not less. He’s one of the best CF in baseball. Easily. Top 5. Just last year alone @ Coors he made 5 of the top 100 plays in baseball. So fewer at bats would only mess with his confidence.
Descalso and Russell need fewer at bats. Bryant needs to start playing the outfield and stay at 3rd.
Staying in the Cubs organization wouldn’t be the worst thing for CarGo, perhaps he could be back in September. If not, he should just call it a career.
CarGone, am I right?
Deal Happ, Edwards, Russell and Zagunis to KC for Whit Merrifield and Diekmann and reboot the weekend! #EverybodyIn
Why would KC do that?
Exactly.
Give me your car, your house, your 401-k, keep up all the payments, and, in exchange, I’ll kick you in the shins.
Bruce Levine says Edwards and Bote gets Merrifield. I’m good with that, too.
Also, throw in a case of Old Style and a couple of lbs kielbasa.
I doubt KC would do that, but I’m ok with it.
Merrifield starts with Alzolay and probably Hoerner.
Alzolay wont be traded.
Russell, Happ and one other mid level prospect would get the Cubs marrifield. Both are 5 years younger than Merrifield. Russell needs to go away and the Cubs need a leadoff man
The Royals are just beginning their next rebuild. Despite his age as a late bloomer, Whit Merrifield is a valuable asset and they will prioritize a prospect return and not younger veterans with less team control.
Merrifield would be a godsend for the Cubs atop their batting order but they would need to part with a couple of their rare top prospects or bring in a third team who values their young vets in order to make a deal work with the Royals.
Additionally, the Royals would never consider taking on Addison Russell and his baggage.
Happ and Russell are 24 and 26. Merrifield is 30. That’s a great trade. 2 for 1 alone.
It’s not less control. Both Russell and happ have 4 years of team control. Merrifield. Just signed a 4 year extension.
Except Russell is a wife beater and Happ can’t hit AAA pitching. But yeah ok
The Royals just drafted high school star SS Bobby Witt Jr. to be the centerpiece of their new rebuild. They are at least 5 years behind a strong young Twins team and 3 behind a potential White Sox powerhouse who already have a third of their future core batting order at the MLB level with more on the way in the next year or so. Even the Tigers are ahead of the Royals with a farm system deep in quality pitching.
KC is a long way from being competitive in the AL Central and targeting contender’s young veterans who have 4 years of control that includes arbitration is ludicrous. They will deal Whit Merrifield for the best elite prospect package that they can muster and those players don’t even need to be MLB ready since Witt Jr. is years from his big league debut.
If the Cubs have a chance at acquiring Merrifield the Royals would likely start the discussion with Cubs #2 prospect C Miguel Amaya who currently sits at #76 in mlb.com’s top-100 list and is playing at A+ Myrtle Beach. Amaya would only be the conversation opener with other prospects being added in.
Any notion of the Royals interest in Addison Russell is ludicrous. His baggage is an issue in a blue city like Chicago. How well do you think adding a player like Russell who not only has domestic abuse issues but has also fathered children with 3 different women is going to play in a city like Kansas City situated in America’s heartland?
3 different women? It was one woman and he came clean served his time. For a contender like the Cubs he’s a cancer and clubhouse distraction.. he needs to go
Royals GM Dayton Moore last week…
“ I believe he’s (Merrifield) one of the best players in all of baseball right now. It would…it would…I mean the ask (return in a Merrifield trade) would be just crazy.”
A Merrifield trade sounds unlikely for the Cubs, unless they are willing to overpay significantly.
Come on man lol you expect him to come out and say the truth. Whit does nothing for the royals. They are going no where and he will be to old by the time they are ready to contend again and with as tight as the royals owner is he will want to get him off the books at deadline.
Spare parts for a top 5 2b….. sounds legit.
Happ, Russell, Edwards and low to mid level prospect for whit Merrifield and Diekmann
Hahahaha no.
Nobody is trading value for Addison Russell.
Russell has plenty of value. He’s still a great defensive player. SS,2ND and even 3rd.
Except the only thing he can hit is a defenseless woman
I’m not surprised this is coming from a white Sox fan.
Sorry, not going to happen for whit. But Chicago can have Soler back.
P.s. Dayton won’t trade for a wife beater.
so no chance he wants Russell, but what about the Heimlich rumors last year?
I think those faded. Plus, we HAVE a shortstop & second baseman. We also have a utility infielder (Humberto).
We need prospects, the cubs farm is nearly bare. Eventually they will have to rebuild/tank, but large markets rarely do that.
You really want diekman with the Cubs?
I have no clue who diekman is I only knew one reliever from their world series team. Other than wade Davis that was Kelvin Herrera. He’s rotting on the wrong side of Chicago now.
Where the heck would soler play for the Cubs. They already have a crowded outfield. As far as I noticed he’s finally coming into his own.
Why again was it necessary for Maddon to use Cishek for the 8th inning. A second day in a row, when the Cubs were down multiple runs.
Maddon is a disaster handling a bullpen.
Maddon is a disaster, period. Ever wonder why people leave and do so much better elsewhere? With Maddons sabremetrics system you are a number, that’s all and it is very demeaning to a lot of ballplayers. Bring on David Ross.
you’d be the only one wondering that because you’re the one who made it up….
I wonder if the Cubs will give Robel Garcia a a chance? The dude has come out of nowhere and destroying AAA pitching. Cool story about him
cubs are done. Rack’em!
I’m beginning to think 84 wins might win this feeble central division.
I do not think it a feeble division,just an evenly matched one.
It is as before the season,all teams will be within ten games of one another at the end of the year.
The other five divisions have more or much more of a spread between the best and the worst teams,
I was really hoping he’d work out for them.
No surprise here. Due to his history of injuries, “Cargo” is an old 33. The typical home splits he posted at Coors Field isn’t helping matters either in trying to gain PA’s with other clubs.
Cubs need to bring back Daniel murpghy. He was awsome last yr. Especially against lefties. Has a very high obp
Murphy is a defensive liability at ANY position on a baseball field. Not that it matters. The cubs have the perfect storm of a team in sharp decline. There’s no limit to how bad things can get for the northsiders, with a makeshift pitching rotation and an overworked bullpen. The last place Reds are only 5 and a half out. So I’m guessing Maddon gets axed early next month. It won’t stop the decline, but it’ll give the cubs sheep the blood they’re crying for.
yes listen to the troll white Sox fan lol
Nobody is worse than that clown.
Probably not even a real Sox fan. He’s probably a cubs fan who trolls his own.
And you’re probably Donald Trump.
I wish
He’s not a fan of anything, by his own admission he just hates the Cubs
I grew up a cubs fan. I switched to being a Sox fan 35 years ago.
And don’t seem to have actually watched a game since…
Nobody cares what a white sox fan thinks. Run along loser.
You can’t just “bring back” a guy who signed a multi year contract with another team. The Rockies are going nowhere in their division but a wildcard is not out of the question. So Murphy is not going anywhere.
Wrong. He’s not being paid a lot and the second the rockies feel their out of it they with trade vetreans like him with horrible contracts.
Russlle should be given a chance at leadoff he can hit and he also goes the other way.
You need a decent contact hitter who takes walks. That ain’t Russell on his best day.
Again, no one gives a crap what a white soxs fans opinion about our team is. Run home to mama now.
Russell shouldn’t get a second chance because he beat his wife and had multiple baby mamas. He’s living the hip hop life but not the baseball one, if you ask me (although he is semi-decent)
You are no better a human being then russlle is and you have no idea weather he beat his wife or not. No one except he and his wife know his personal life. You would do well to focus on your personal life and not focus on others.
Time to bring back Big Z!
LMAO, I guess that great coaching staff didn’t make a difference after all.
Where’s the two geniuses that were gonna prove another dumb comment wrong? The dumb comment was he would be cut within a month because he has no bat/power left and one genius suggested their superior coaching staff would quickly find it.LOL! Pretty much down to the day he was cut within a month…
The Cubs have the worse bullpen arms. Maples and Rowan are terrible. Get rid of kintlzer
Kintzler has been very good this year
I honestly couldn’t think of anyone. He’s been decent but not great.
If you can’t think of someone who needed to be dumped, perhaps you shouldn’t be advocating dumping someone just on principle…
Kintzler has a 2.02 era and a .098 whip. Please do your homework before commenting. Thanks
Now DFA Descalso and call up Robel!!!
Dillon Maples sounds like a menu item at IHOP.
Zagunis deserves a genuine shot. Let him play a few games in a row and get a rhythm rather than just a pinch hit every 3 games or so.
He had a chance to earn a roster spot and he sucked.
No one cares what you still. Go back to yiur horrible team and manager, thanks.
Did anyone ever believe that Hamels and Lester would go the whole season without an injury. I doubt that any of these starters will make it through the season.
Lester has made 30 or more starts a year for 11 years. Count me as one of the people that thought Lester was going to make it through the season unscathed.
cubs fans have BIG cubbiebear hearts… not much between the ears, if you know what I mean. Anyone who knows baseball can see the problems with their pitching rotation. Low velocity, low strike rates, high walks, and high innings/aging arms. They don’t have dominant bullpen arms to back said rotation up, so it’s a perfect storm for disaster. Couple that with a tired lineup, pressing at the plate to compensate for the poor pitching. Situation hitting, something the cubs were very good at in ‘16, bottoms out to among the worst in the league. The cubs would be at least 5 games out by now in a good division.
^^^THIS
You dont have to tell me about the situational hitting lol it has been awful from ’17 til now. I agree on most of your points on the pitching. But to say “in a good division” is a reach. They are playing in the most competitive division in MLB.
Don’t ruin a good narrative with facts, it spoils the fun of internet anonymity
You know I just read through all the posts over the last 24 hours and you two supposed Sox fans never comment on a single Sox story. You rush to any and every Cubs post and offer blabbering drivel. Get a life!
Royals receive:
Nico Hoerner SS
Ian Happ 2B/OF
Brailyn Marquez LHP
Brennen Davis OF
Cubs receive:
Whit Merrifield 2B/OF
I was unaware Merrifield could pitch well enough to warrant such a package…
last time I checked pitching isn’t their only problem….lol it’s a fat package but a fat package is the only way KC would move Whit with that contract of his..
Infielders also were not a major concern. Not enough to gut their farm of what few trade assets it has left.
I’m not trying to talk down the value of Merrifield, just pointing out the Cubs aren’t desperate for a player of his profile, so why would they pay the price?
I just heard that the St Louis Cardinals have contacted him.
Did he leave something in the locker last time in town?