The Athletics have traded right-handed pitcher Jharel Cotton to the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations, according to an official announcement from the A’s (Twitter link). Cotton was designated for assignment on Wednesday. Acquiring Cotton leaves three open spots on the Cubs’ 40-man roster.
Cotton hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2017, thanks to a 2018 elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He returned to pitch in the minor leagues late this year, but struggled in 14 Triple-A games and didn’t make it back to the big leagues.
For the Cubs, Cotton represents a buy-low reclamation project who could pay off if he can make good on the upside that made him a promising prospect several years ago. A key part of the Athletics’ 2016 trade with the Dodgers involving Josh Reddick and Rich Hill, Cotton was viewed as a potential rotation cog thanks to an impressive minor league track record.
After a solid rookie showing with the Athletics in 2016, making five starts, Cotton was installed in the Opening Day starting rotation for 2017 and ultimately failed to match the numbers he posted the year before. He stumbled to a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts
It’ll be interesting to see if Cotton, now 27 years old and approaching two years removed from elbow surgery, will be given the chance to compete for a spot in the Cubs’ rotation, with Cole Hamels likely to depart in free agency. He’ll need to overtake Tyler Chatwood, Adbert Alzolay, and Alec Mills, all of whom were part-time starters last year. If not, Cotton could be deployed out of the bullpen as a multi-inning option; he made 15 appearances in relief in the minors last year. At the very least, he represents pitching depth for an organization that is otherwise lacking in that department.
This could turn out to be an absolute steal for the Cubs.
Yeah I don’t get why they cut ties with him for essentially nothing.
They needed the spot on the 40 man for guys they like better. He wasnt good after the TJ surgery and the hamstring surgery. He might get it back although he was terrible his last healthy season.
To put Daulton Jefferies on the 40 man.
Ross must have saw something and he thinks he can fix it. Ross hiring already paying dividends
…unless he turns out to be terrible and they traded nothing for nothing. And the fact that managers don’t make trades.
I think it’s a little early to be crowning Ross king until you actually see him manage a game here.
Not a Ross fan or a cub fan. Only I am laughing at Cubs again and not being serious.
You thought managers make trades? Hahaha the joke is on you. The laughs are at you
Per the Athletic, New manager David Ross will have influence as the Cubs target free agents. He could have influence on trades
stan lee… You can’t fly that Cub hater flag and expect to be taken seriously.
How is this hating anybody? It is very unrealistic to say that Davis Ross is a good manager when he has yet to manage a game in his life; I never said he’s a bad manager, just that nobody knows yet. That’s simple pragmatism.
You over react. Nowhere does his comment say anything about “crowning Ross king”.
I can’t tell if this is a joke or not.
didn’t know Ross was the pitching coach
No it couldn’t, Cotton is terrible.
Yeah, signing injured players has worked out well for the cubs, morrow, dervish. Epstein doesn’t learn a thing and is running this team into the ground.
Smart move on both sides
Too bad he didn’t land with a better organization. Good luck to him.
Yes. The Cubs will try to turn him into a reliever and then he we walk everybody like Carlos Marmol
Interesting theory since the marmol hasn’t been on the cubs in nearly a decade, very few personnel (if any) are still on the team from back then, and they have shown no pattern of churning out marmols. But carry on
Good thing he didn’t go to the Yankees since they d just turn him into a joba chamberlain, right
Marmol had a pretty good run from 2007 to 2012. six good years (including 4 great ones) ar better than most relivers get.
Too bad you landed head first on the floor when the doctor dropped you.
GOT EEEM!!1!
I know. Winning 90 games and making the playoffs nearly every year is shameful. Poor guy
Wow, commenters on this page seem to have some really short-term memories!
Playoffs for 4 straight years and missing it last year. 4 out of 5 years considered bad?
Nobody said that was bad. But saying that they make the playoffs almost every year is a huge stretch when you go past the last five years. That isn’t very long in baseball time.
Exactly what “time” do Cub haters operate on?
What organization should he have landed with
Is he any good?
He had flashes early but is wild and gave up 2 hrs per 9 pitching half his games in Oakland.
He flashed ok stuff then had some career-ending injuries that made him useless. Have fun with that 7.71 ERA at AAA. Guy is done as a big leaguer.
We’ll go ahead and call it a career after 27 innings in AAA. Since he’s no longer one of your precious Athletics. It’s a wonder any of these damn greedy owners would even give him a job!
Bold strategy, Cotton.
Well played, sir
Lwts see if it works out for them.
Cotton has the talent to be really good just needs to get some better command
Same goes for literally every single minor leaguer. Cotton is AAA depth and nothing more. If he plays in MLB the Cubs are in trouble.
It was probably wishful thinking he’d end up with the Mariners.
Cotton just got hurt while with the A’s and now there was not any more room with Oakland super talented pitching staff for him to show his value himself. Good luck!
That takes Cotton out of the Rule 5 draft circus. Next up; Griffin Jax (MN).
He wasn’t going to be in it.
Fart noise. Theo has tied up so much in bad contracts this is the type of moves he has to make. Trash.
Reclamation project. This is the kind of low risk move that an organization. He was a very popular breakout candidate a few years ago before TJ
that an organization should make*
Certainly another reclamation project. TJ surgery, hamstring procedure and control/confidence issues. Might be a player who just needs another chance and change of scenery. With the exception of a possible trade or even two of the Cubs core players, which I believe is unlikely. Even if the front office pulls the trigger on high profile trades-I have little confidence that the team gets a worthy return. These are the moves Cub fans can expect this season. Good luck David Ross.
Don’t all MLB players seek out female ex-softball players when they need a swing tune-up? This screams PC..
Chatwood, Mills, Cotton, Alzolay is how I’d rank those four
He has injury history so he is easy to shove on to the IL if there is a roster crunch. Then you let him rehab at Iowa for a while. So for little money Theo gets a complement to the Iowa Shuttle who may have some upside. Worst case he has a mop up guy and a DH starter.
Worst case is he never sets foot in MLB and gives up 8 runs a game at AAA, wasting a roster spot.
Worst face scenario is that he sucks. Then you lost a little bit of cash and a waiver claim. The cubs have no players they needed to protect with this slot. They don’t have a deep system. This is another waiver claim by a team trying to find bounce back value. Same thing we see every year.
If he sucks, he sucks. They lost little to nothing rolling the dice
Boom! cubs win the offseason again. lol
You sign one player over $70 million in the history of your franchise, which was a overpay because no one wants to play on the White Sox. And now White Sox fans act like they’re doing great things. Why don’t you get to .500 for the first time in 10 yrs before you guys run your mouths.
Why do you think he always comments on Cub posts?
Typical Sox fan inferiority complex. They hate the Cubs, and it drives them crazy that Cubs fans generally don’t care about the Sox, one way or another. So they feel compelled to lash out, in order to get attention.
Because being a White Sox fan would be awful. Even if they were good and the Cubs were rebuilding, they’d still be the 2nd team and most still wouldn’t care about them.
Nice move. Could be a good #5.
Dumpster Divin’ Theo!
Little late this time.
But the Cubs print money!
So what is your point?
Yea and more teams should dumpster dive as their is no downside
K.
Passed ball by Grandal. Word reaches first.
Cotton is done. But I wish him well. It is sad when a player flames out and has to find a real job.
This is a clear depth move…the Cubs are just getting some depth at SP….something they needed to do…I don’t understand how people don’t see that
Sure, because running an infirmary has provided so much “depth” for the cubs. Chances are, if this guy ever amounts to anything, he’ll be traded to another team. That’s the cubs way.
#ThatsCub
I respect this move…it actually copies the cardinal way…depth…teams are figuring out that depth is what is needed…cardinals had this figured out awhile ago…glad to to see the cubs catching up
What the hell am I seeing here? A cardinal fan defending a Cub move to Sox fans? Geez lol
dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria.
GOT EEEM!!1!
This is a shot in the dark for 2021. See if he can regain his stuff in 2020. Must have been interest from some other teams to pay now verses to Rule 5 draft.
Why do the Cubs pick up players they never intend to play? Smyly, Graveman, now this guy.
Depth.
Who knows what the future may hold.
Because there is minimal risk and it creates depth
You don’t build depth with guys who can’t play. Of all people, a cubs fan should be acutely (pun intended) aware of this by now.
No one knows that any better than a white sox fan.
Cotton is great…. against the rangers. Everybody else he sucks against apparently. I’d like to see him get over his TJ now that he isn’t in the AL west anymore.
I think the Cubs will work with Cotton on cutting the sinker (which is death in the day of launch angle) and move to a fastball/change up combo with a show me curve.
One would have to assume this is a typical offseason depth signing for the Cubs who will put Cotton in AAA to start the season and use him for long relief/swingman status. In 2018, the Cubs had a ton of success using these types of players for limited stints in their bullpen.
Think an early version of Edwin Jackson !
Cubs hit the Mega lottery with Arietta……..
we will see if Theo could hit six numbers again!
Pointless move. Just shows that Theo is going for cheap on the 5.
First Rae now this. So this is just a group effort and seeing what pans out.
My eval:
Alozay gassed after 80.
Chatwood walks too many guys. In short bursts he pegs 98 with movement. Better late inning option.
Mills is the safe pick. Boring but is a potentially a very stable back of the rotation arm.
Rea had a great return from injury last year. He would be the upside gamble because he seems the knows how to win guy with more velocity to gain as he removes himself more from injury.
This new guy falls in with Rae. He might need a year in Iowa to make a notemark as an asset.
What funny is if they trade had happen to the angels everyone would say they are cheaping out on the rotation. Goes the cubs and hailed as a great deal….this guy is done lol.
Wouldnt of been mad if the Oriloles would of made this trade. I assume it was a roster spot problem. Still would of been worth it just for the potential upside and possible innings.
A few years ago, when asked to compare himself to a modern day player, Pedro Martinez gave an answer no one saw coming:
Jharel Cotton
What is with all of the hate.. The cubs made a minor move and it they being treated like they are the worst human beings in the world. They traded cash for a player. I mean for crying out loud.
Great depth signing by Beavis and Butthead.
Winger sucks, Stuart.
Principal McVicker likes this.
Cotton’s son is the one to watch down the road. Early reports are that he’s super, man.
Idk why the A’s cut ties with this guy and then basically gave him away for next to nothing. Seems like if they were determined to get rid of him, they would have done at least the A’s thing and flip him for someone who fits a need hidden to the rest of us. Lol. I kid a little but I’m kinda serious. Tiny bit of cash doesn’t seem to be appropriate for this kid. Cubs might have found themselves a low risk gem