The Cubs and right-hander Brandon Morrow are discussing a minor league contract that would bring the former closer back for a third season in the Cubs organization, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score/CBS Chicago reports (Twitter link). A deal isn’t close at this point and could still take a bit to be ironed out, per Levine. Mutual interest between the Cubs and Morrow was reported last month.
“The Cubs invested a lot of time into Brandon, and money, of course, and Brandon feels a certain sense of loyalty and obligation back to the Cubs to stay with them if they want him on a minor-league contract or something like that,” agent Joel Wolfe told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times in early November. Today’s report makes it all the more clear that the Cubs do indeed have interest in such a pact.
Some Cubs fans might bristle at the idea of continuing the relationship with Morrow, 35, after injuries limited him to just 30 2/3 innings over the life of his previous two-year, $21MM contract with the team. But Morrow was objectively excellent with the Cubs when healthy in 2018, pitching to a 1.47 ERA (2.96 FIP) with a 31-to-9 K/BB ratio and would’ve been a career-best 51.9 percent ground-ball rate had he sustained it for the remainder of the season.
Morrow was also one of the game’s best relievers with the Dodgers in 2017 when he posted a 2.06 ERA and a 50-to-9 K/BB ratio in 43 2/3 frames, although Los Angeles leaned heavily on the injury-prone righty in the postseason that year, as he appeared in 14 of their 15 games. The extent to which that heavy workload impacted Morrow’s first tenure with the Cubs can’t be known, but a biceps injury cut his 2018 season in half and he’s since undergone a pair of elbow surgeries without setting foot on a big league mound.
Successfully striking gold on Morrow, as the Dodgers did in 2017, would be a boon for what looks like an uncertain Chicago relief corps at the moment. Craig Kimbrel will be back in both 2020 and 2021, and the Cubs will have to hope that a normal offseason and a full Spring Training ramp-up period can help him round back into form after an ugly half-season debut in 2019. Meanwhile, veterans Steve Cishek, Pedro Strop and Brandon Kintzler have all set out into free agency, leaving Kyle Ryan, Rowan Wick and demoted starter Tyler Chatwood among the likeliest names to be included in next year’s bullpen. The Cubs are reportedly taking a low-cost flier on righty Dan Winkler to perhaps join that group, but there’s quite a bit more work to do to turn this into anything resembling a reliable relief unit.
Morrow was so good with LA but couldn’t stay healthy in the majors. That cutter is nasty and this could have upside
Last time he was in the majors he was hitting 99 with a LOT of sink. He may not have a lot of bullets left, but last time I saw him they were pretty good bullets.
He was on the Dodgers in 2017 not 2018.
Accuracy isn’t a priority on the TR sites
And, clearly, making high quality comments are not a priority of yours.
And, you? Guilt of the same.
I’m not trying to be a “professional” reporter.
It’s a free website where they provide you free information. Getting a year wrong is really worth nitpicking?
They provide us with info obtained from others. Sports version of the Drudge Report.
They’re media and accuracy should be their #1 priority. So ya it’s a big deal.
No, you’re wrong. It still isn’t a big deal and never will be a big deal. Email them if you want to be a saint and help with corrections instead of being a d-bag calling them out to boost your ego
Senioreditor – take your nitpicky whining and go somewhere else then. Let the rest of us enjoy MLBTR in peace.
Funny how if a person leaving a comment doesn’t quote a year or a stat correctly or have the best grammar, you all pounce on them. Let the “professionals” make an error and it becomes nitpicking when they are called out? You don’t get real brownie points for running to MLBTR defense, you know this right?
I don’t critique the grammar of commenters, either. I defend the MLBTR staff because they are genuinely likeable people who provide us with a fun website. Snarky critiques of MLBTR are just stupid. Internet tough guy antics
No he wasn’t he was on the Cubs in 2018 he got hurt around the all star break and hasn’t pitched since
If there’s an absolute rule in baseball player acquisition it’s this: Be deeply wary of relief pitchers who have career seasons in their 30’s. No not rely on them to repeat it; they almost never do.
Amen. This is great advice. I would only add that teams should be doubly wary of pitchers in their 30s with significant history of arm injuries.
A match made in heaven.
It’s clear Morrow and the cubs need each other: Epstein needs Morrow healthy for vindication.
Morrow needs more time with the cubs to work on his golf game.
You’re just full of hate every time a Cubs post happens… it’s really sad that you have the notifications on for Cubs posts. Living rent free in your head
That loser has the Cubs alert on his phone. Lol
This reeks of false narrative. I doubt Theo is going to lose sleep if he doesn’t sign Morrow because he’ll never get “vindication”.
Potentially competitive team wants cheap bullpen help, reliever wants to rebuild value and career. That’s the match made in heaven
Theo’s done enough that he doesn’t need to worry about “vindication.”
“I wish I knew how to quit you”
Now WHO could’ve seen all those injuries coming?
Goes to the IL immediately after spraining his wrist signing the contract. Moved to 60 day soon after.
Easy there Wil… wouldn’t want those hair plugs to get in the way of you hitting a ball
It’s a minor league deal. If he’s done, he’s done. no great financial loss for the Cubs. (at least this season)
NO RISK, GET IT DONE!
Here come the haters saying it would be a bad move to sign him to a minor league deal. Any team in need of bullpen help would take a minor league flyer on this guy.
If anyone hated on him signing a minor league deal it would just show their lack of baseball FO knowledge.
Do it Theo!
Morrow hasn’t had a loss since 2014
No risk associated with a move like this. There’s several bounceback types on the market this year that I can see providing value on low MLB guarantee or minor league incentive laden pact. Greg Holland, Brad Bach, Luke Gregorson, Addison Reed & Trevor Rosenthal all come to mind.
How about a hypothetical Kris Bryant and Tyler Chatwood for Odubel Hererra, Adonis Medina, Jojo Romero, Bryson Stott & a lottery ticket prospect? I’m sure the Cubs would love to unload Chatwood who could compete for the 5th staters’ gig in Philly while the Phillies move on from Herrera. The Cubs would get a half decent CF, their 2B of the future and two decent pitching prospects while shedding salary. I’ve seen worse trade proposals haha.
As of now, Chatwood has the inside track on the 5th starter gig on the Cubs. His contract is up after 2019, so it’s not really an albatross.
Wouldn’t want to rely on him for much of anything, but I love the idea of him as a reclamation.
League minimum at best.
Morrow should pay the Cubs for the opportunity.
Minor League deals are a team’s best friend. Cubs are smart to do this.
Theo has never seen an injured pitcher that he doesn’t like. Not sure when this bonehead is going to learn that these pitchers never pan out.
Sometimes they do. He signed an injured Scott Feldman in 2013, who came in and had a decent first half of a season, then traded him for Jake Arrietta (another oft injured pitcher at the time) and Pedro Strop (never had an ERA over 3 in the ensuing 5 years)
Exactly.
Nothing wrong with this. Go get Will Harris to join Wieck, Wick, Ryan, Chatwood, and Kimbrel and you have a decent bullpen. If Morrow comes back healthy then you have a top 5 bullpen.
Morrow is a class act. Feels he owes it to Cubs to resign for a lot less. Rooting for him.
Class act…ha ha they paid him $18M for 30 innings. He’s hasn’t thrown over 43 innings in a season in 5 years. I’d say he’s just laughing that some will promise him another $500k in December.
lol nailed it.
Sorry, cubs fans. These “under-the-radar” moves don’t lead to championships.
So true ChiSoxCity. That under the radar Jake Arrieta move clearly wasnt needed to win the World Series in 16’.
They never stop talking about that one season in 110 years do they?
K.
Posting one lame baseball aphorism in a Cubs thread, and the exact opposite in a White Sox thread for similar moves makes clear that this person is a one note troll – and not a particularly clever one at that.
Occasionally she or he posts something not completely ridiculous, so there is a little bit of baseball knowledge somewhere in there, but the level of unhinged obsession about the Cubs lands somewhere between amusing and pitiable.
Give it a rest. Go outside. Get a significant other. Do something, but just get a life and stop clogging up otherwise interesting threads about a team that deranges and triggers you.
I’ll never forget early in his career watching a start he had for the Mariners. It was 2nd or 3rd inning when he loaded the bases on 3 straight walks and then K’d the next 3 batters and my love for Morrow was sealed. I never missed a start for those couple seasons. One of my favorite pitchers ever. I hope for baseballs sake we can get 1 or 2 more good healthy Morrow seasons before he hangs em up
In other words……his Agent heard no one else wanted Morrow !…so back to the Cubs !