The Cubs have non-tendered infielder Addison Russell, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Lefty Danny Hultzen was also not tendered a contract, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian adds on Twitter.
This ends a scandalous Cubs tenure for Russell, who came to the team as a possible shortstop of the future in a blockbuster trade with the Athletics in 2014. Russell was an elite prospect at the time, but his production as a Cub never reached that level (even during their World Series-winning campaign in 2016), and a 40-game suspension for domestic violence in 2018-19 marred the tail end of his time in Chicago.
The Cubs stuck with Russell in 2019, when he hit .237/.308/.391 with nine home runs in 241 plate appearances, but with Javier Baez and Nico Hoerner among their top middle infield choices, they’ve decided to go in another direction instead of paying the 25-year-old a projected $5.1MM in his second-last season of arbitration. However, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein offered a positive assessment of Russell upon letting him go, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (via Twitter).
“Since we decided to tender Addison a contract last November, he has lived up to his promise to put in the important self-improvement work necessary off the field and has shown growth as a person, as a partner, as a parent and as a citizen,” said Epstein.
Like Russell, Hultzen’s a former stud prospect whose time in the majors hasn’t gone according to plan. Injuries have been ruinous to the 30-year-old Hultzen, a former first-round pick of the Mariners who didn’t debut in the bigs until this past season. Hultzen totaled just 3 1/3 innings as a member of the Cubs, with whom he didn’t allow a run and put up five strikeouts against two walks. But that wasn’t enough to convince the Cubs, who have moved on from Hultzen.
About time. He completely blew his second chance last year. Now let’s dumpster dive for relievers with his $5 mil!!!
2nd chance?
He was probably referring to his lack of production following his reinstatement from the suspension list last May. Addison Russell had an opportunity to not only apologize for his domestic mistake(s) but also help contribute to the team as a player. Russell pretty much failed with his production in 2019, no? This was especially bad for the Cubs in the wake of Ben Zobrist’s personal issues last year that just happened to manifest itself around the time that Russell was returning.
woosh, AS
They tendered him a contract last year. The findings in the DV case – coupled w/ his poor development on the field – made him an easy non tender candidate a year ago. Tendering him a contract for 2019 was a second chance.
Russell should have been released last off season. Good riddance.
Agreed. Russell should have been released last off season. Good riddance.
Nothing like agreeing with yourself. I find myself doing that frequently, particularly when nobody else will.
I would’ve liked to see him agree to disagree.
Yeah, a heated back and forth between him and …. him would have been much more entertaining. @AaronSapoznik same here.
Especially if both of them was undecided.
Lol
Hultzen will get scooped up quickly.
he’s out of options, and I doubt a team is going to give him a fully guaranteed big league deal. he’s likely staying put w/ the Cubs on a minor league deal.
Houston already looking into bringing Russell on board.
I hope they do. At least they’re transparent about their sh*tiness.
How apropo. Yet another reason for the rest of us to hate on the Astros, an organization I had a lot of respect for until fairly recently.
That was a joke about how they acquired fellow woman beater Osuna on the cheap. I have no idea if they actually are looking into him. but they would.
I will give Addisson credit for owning his past and trying to become a better man. He’s got that leg up on Osuna.
I came here to make this joke too. Was gonna talk about how their pathetic InCel front office execs can scream and cuss about how happy they are to have Addison Russell on the roster. Good on you for beating me to it. Haha… beating me… unintended pun there.
Great minds ha ha.
Oh yeah, haha .. domestic violence puns are freaking hilarious. Good one there…
wooshed again
Does Houston need another PR mess?
I swear, if Houston get him….
Why would Houston get him? They have two all star middle infielders
Strike Four was making a joke about Houston’s zero-tolerence policy on domestic violence.. of course, Houston’s policy is a complete joke to begin with.
If Houston sign him he has to agree to having a camera placed in the centre of each room that pans so that they can see what’s going on…….
Women beaters should be burned in oil and there fat sold for soap.
yikes
Did you just teleport here from the Spanish Inquisition? Not that I disagree with your sentiment
What if they’re thin?
Why would anyone want to whether in their fat? What a weird af comment.
Epstein finally grew a pair of balls.
Yep. Theo should have non-tendered Russell last year at this time. If he would have repeated his mistake today there a more than a few Cubs fans who might be chasing him with a pair of snippers.
I would have waived him immediately.
The only ‘waiving’ you do is from the bleachers.
Wanna know what else I do from the bleachers? Ask your mom.
There’s that GED certificate education showing itself off once again. Ladies and gentlemen let’s give it up for the “smallest tool” (that’s what your Mom said) on these boards, the troll of all trolls, ChiSoxCity!
Grow a pair and use your normal screen name, derp.
74 wins or less for the Cubs next year. But you refuse to bet on it. Ah, the courage of the keyboard.
chisoxcity… It never takes much to bring out the name calling, juvenile side of you. Haters are so predictable.
A Met he is!
Russell is done maybe a team overseas will take him but I can’t see any MLB teams giving him another shot.
The writers pretty much dismissed his Cub’s stint in this piece, but the guy was an All Star in ’16 with 21 HRs and 95 RBIs. He had some big hits in the playoffs as well that year. He’s done nothing but get in trouble since then, but still, if he avoids that, someone will give him another shot.
Correct
Didnt know russell has 3 kids from 3 different women,busy guy lol
Well he better find a job to pay all that child-support
Too dumb to resist the gold diggers. We’ll hear a piece on ESPN in 10 years about how he wasted his millions
Who does he think he is? An NBA player? Dude better learn how to hit a baseball again because his income is split 3 different ways.
And the gears begin turning in the Astros’ front office.
Epstein’s wording on the non tender is ominous. He’s almost leaving the door open to bringing back Russell at a lower price.
I think he’s just hoping that another NL Central team picks him up so that the Cubs can play against him 19 times a year.
BYE!
Shame he won’t be traded for cash. Oh well
Good riddance to Russell. Straight up garbage. Hultzen should latch on somewhere. Hopefully no team touches Russell but I’m sure somebody will
I’m guessing with this headline there is the implication that Albert Almora has been tendered a contract. Any official news out there ahead of the deadline?
Almora is much cheaper, at least a great defender with years of control and a good citizen. The only way he leaves is in a trade.
He’s a good guy but Almora was a minus 1.1 defender last year per fangraghs. He’s never had a good OBP.
Hmmm. Well, I’m not one to argue with stats other than to say after watching a ton of games, I’ve seen pretty much nothing but solid defense from him, especially as a late innings replacement. No doubt they’re looking for a starter in CF, but unless he’s an add on in a trade, he could still be a solid late innings guy in all three OF spots. IMO.
Was gonna be the short stop of the future when they acquired him. 1st time I saw Javy play thought they should send Russell down the road and get something out of it. It’s over, so let it be and get on with the business at hand
So you wanted to trade Russell before the 2016 season?
Seem like the offseason full of non tendering former high end top prospects
Arbitration is unfairly increasing the cost of these players. Fix that and this activity will stop.
Someone please tell me why Addison Russell was “due” a raise this year? He did nothing to deserve it other than add a year of service time to his resume. No thanks. Adios.
Mets should’ve tried to trade Lowrie for him to dump salary
How has Danny Hultzen’s “time in the majors not gone according to plan?” His time in the majors has been 3.1 innings.
The plan was for him to pitch 4 innings
Russell was solid in 2016, with a lot more power and a number of big hits in the playoffs and World Series. I think Theo waited a year too long, but that’s the player he was hoping would come back. Someone will give him another shot.
bit rough for Hultzen, eh? hope someone is willing to give him the Major League minimum.
I suspect Hultzen is back with the Cubs after the draft (assuming no one takes him, which would mean they have to keep him).
Let’s see – 5 mil available = 20 pitchers that need TJ surgery and won’t be able to pitch until 2022
Not surprised about Russell. A little surprised about Hultzen.
Any yankee fans that speak should only look at Chapman.. didn’t he try to shoot his wife in a garage and missed? Says a lot about his accuracy.. Then he gets an extension..
You mean the same guy the cubs gave up an AS infielder for?
No , I think it would be more like Albert Belle exposing himself to underage kids, or Loaiza who tried to smuggle 45 pounds of cocaine. No? How about Myers who beat his wife …. How about good old Everett? Your white sux are far from saints.
Wow, a Brett Myers reference…..impressive.
Or the time Tony Phillips punched a Brewer fan in the face…
Uh, Cindy Sandberg.
Not funny. Again.
You mean the Cubs who made the deal for Chapman that won them the world series that drives ChiSoxCity insane. Lol. Yea the Cubs did that ChiSox and it still drives you insane
No matter what anyone thinks……Addison Russell played a major part in 2016 and winning the World Series………..he will find a new team……..and hopefully will be a major player in a team winning a World Series down the line.
Theo left part of the Cubs family go over $5 million.
Cubs are hurting when it comes to money……..so looks like Bryant will not be making $20 million with the Cubs !
The Cubs are not hurting when it comes to money. Bryant’s estimated arbitration number will come in at about $18 mill this year and probably in the $26-27 mill range next season.
I hope he’s ( Bryant) is gone before that!
I’m pretty sure there was more to his decision than money, such as the 77 OPS+ the past 2 seasons, and off field issues. But I’m also not in the war room deciding why decisions are made so.
Good lord, this is such a horrible take. Addison Russell has played very poorly the last two years. Couple that with his off the field issues and you have a pretty easy decision on the part of the Cubs. Why are you going to pay a guy $5M who has an OPS+ of less than 80? Toss is the past personal issues and it makes the decision for them. Hopefully he has addressed his personal issues. If so, maybe he can latch on to a new opportunity.
Russell is not worth $5 million today so it was an easy decision. He will not make $5 million this year with any other team either
Yet another guy the genius in the FO held on to for far too long. The very reason the Cubs have gotten worse every year since ‘16.
You mean the Genius FO that got one all star season from him as a starting shortstop and parlayed that one season into a world championship?
You don’t keep him at a projected $5+ million when money is tight (supposedly). If he produced on the field they would have tendered a contract. Pretty simple. He isn’t the gold glove caliber SS he was portrayed as either. He isn’t bad defensively but not that guy.