The Cubs placed utility player Ben Zobrist on the restricted list May 8 because of a personal matter, though it wasn’t clear whether they were still paying him. Almost a month later, Zobrist still hasn’t returned to the Cubs, but we now know the 38-year-old hasn’t counted against their books in his absence.
With Zobrist on a $12MM salary in 2019, the last season of a four-year, $56MM contract, Chicago has saved just over $2MM since he left the team, per Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Cubs will continue to save the same amount for each month Zobrist spends on the restricted list, Greenberg notes.
There’s still no word on whether Zobrist will return this season, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein spoke about him Wednesday, saying (via Greenberg): “He’s been communicative with us. We have an understanding of what’s going on with him.”
“Families and personal lives come first — that’s the rule we run our organization by,” continued Epstein, who added that Zobrist “[doesn’t] owe us anything.”
If we judge Zobrist solely by the on-field value he has provided during his run with the Cubs, he truly doesn’t owe the club anything. Although he got off to a subpar start this season before he went on the restricted list, Zobrist has been one of the Cubs’ most valuable players for a large portion of his tenure with the team. And if Zobrist never suits up for the Cubs again, he may have indirectly left them a parting gift in the form of all-time great closer Craig Kimbrel.
The Cubs were able to reach an agreement on a three-year, $43MM deal with Kimbrel on Wednesday, in part because they’re not paying Zobrist. Chicago shied away from big-money additions in the offseason because of luxury tax ramifications, but Zobrist’s exit – whether temporary or permanent – helped give the World Series hopefuls the necessary spending room to win the long-running Kimbrel sweepstakes.
One of the Game’s good guys.
Wishing him and his family as good an outcome as possible.
Throwing the rest of his career away because of a nasty, cheating wife…. allegedly. What a shame.
He’s not “throwing the rest of his career away”. He’s taking care of his family. Also, it’s been widely speculated that he would retire after this season, moron.
Im sure Mr Colossus himself is a wonderful father and husband! Clueless dude!!
It’s very classy that Theo and gang respect Zobrist as not just a ball player, but as a man. He has always been my favorite player growing up (I’m 17). I tried to model my game like him and now it’s gotten me D1 offers.. World class act by the Cubs and hope Zobrist can return to the field soon
Someone with that moniker talking about class is just ironic.
But am I lying lol
No. Definitely not. He crumbles under pressure.
he is 17, what went through your head when you were that age? for most of us, it’s probably a lot worse than a play on words without even being graphic.
Casey got my back
And good ole Joe!
And you you
turned this
mans pain
into all about
you. You are
a zero point
zero.
Wasn’t gonna say this, but now what you said Jorge I gotta say it, he is my relative lol
This thread was an emotional rollercoaster and I’m glad I was along for the ride
Prove it, Clayton.
Funny how that happens. In this me me me society. I think Zo is doing EXACTLY what he needs to do as a father. His kids must be devastated. Takes much BIGGER BALLS to take care of them right now
My mom and him are cousins
Got a bug up your arse? Glad I do know you. You seem to be a ray of sunshine to be around. Not.
Whatever happens, I hope Ben can at least come back for a few games in September. It would be a shame for his career to end that way. He does need a good send off
Agreed
Agreed, would love to give him a standing ovation before he retires. That dude has earned it. Class act!!
Anyone else hear a rumor about a teammate being the one who was banging Julianna?
I can guarantee you that’s not it
I get this reference
Aside from the two’s vocalness on their religious beliefs, Julianna is in the Christian music industry. If anything like that came out she would be ruined.
Well, the divorce filing by Ben in Tennessee cites her cheating as the reason for the divorce. She’s a crappy singer anyway though.
it’s christian music. come on, they’re all pretty much crappy singers anyways
No one sees this as some plan. Zobrist is getting a divorce from what I’ve heard and as much as I’d like to believe he needs time off to deal with it (a little would be understandable) it works out too well for the Cubs. It saves them four million at least and solidifies their biggest need. I’ve liked Zobrist for a long time but this is stupid, I wonder if things like this would happen as much with the contracts guaranteed and counted against the luxury tax. The guy in Boston is similar in that he’d have been traded or be up if it wasn’t for a ridiculous loophole I assume they’ll close at the next CBA.
You should be in the FBI
loosen that tin foil hat there just a tad
Quality dig. Upvotes.
Dude needs to stop pouting, strap it on and play ball. They sure don’t make em like they used to.
@Clayton Chokeshaw
What college? What position? Good Luck!
Not committed yet, but considering South Alabama, USF, Georgia Tech, and UCF. Mainly a centerfielder, but also play short, third, and catcher