2:42pm: The deal has now been announced.
10:09am: Winkler agreed to a split Major League contract with a $750K salary in the Majors and a $200K salary in the minors, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links). He can earn an additional $750K in the Majors via incentives.
8:20am: The Cubs and free-agent righty Dan Winkler are in agreement on a one-year, Major League contract, Robert Murray reports (via Twitter). The MVP Sports Group client elected free agency at season’s end after being outrighted off the Giants’ 40-man roster.
Winkler, 30 in February, was one of the players sent from Atlanta to San Francisco in the Mark Melancon salary dump. He lasted only a day on the Giants’ 40-man roster, though, further underscoring that the trade was primarily a financially motivated transaction.
But while Winkler struggled through 21 2/3 innings at the MLB level in 2019 (4.98 ERA, 22-to-11 K/BB ratio), he was a very effective bullpen piece with the Braves just a year prior. In 2018, Winkler returned from a grueling injury absence to post 60 1/3 innings of 3.43 ERA ball with 10.3 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9.
Winkler had previously gone down to Tommy John surgery in 2014 and, upon returning to the mound in 2016, sustained another gut-wrenching injury when he (audibly) fractured his elbow while throwing a pitch. From 2015-17, he totaled just 41 1/3 innings between the big leagues and the minors thanks to those injuries, but the right-hander is seemingly healthy now. In addition to his work in the Majors last year, Winkler tossed 30 2/3 innings in Triple-A (with a 2.93 ERA, 29 strikeouts and a troubling 23 walks).
If Winkler is able to return to form with his new team, the Cubs will be able to control him through the 2021 season via arbitration. He also has minor league options remaining, so the Cubs can shuttle him back and forth between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago on an as-needed basis if he doesn’t solidify his spot in the ’pen from the outset.
Oh…
The stockpile of DFA, outrighted and the continually injured is a new Cubs tradition. It’s working great!
Maybe they’ve decided to be the Pirates.
good to see the cubs out here making impact moves!
At first I thought it said Dan Winker and I thought who is Dan Winker. Then I saw the L and I knew it was Dan Winkler, that makes more sense.
Better of signing Henry Winkler.
Hmm, the Cubs seem to like giving out MLB deals to these kind of pitchers. But it worked decently with Kyle Ryan, so I don’t blame them. Team could also use the 40-man pitching depth.
How did it workout for Brandon Morrow, Brad Brach, and Craig Kimbrel? But let’s call out the one guy who did OK.
None of those 3 are anything like what this guy was talking about…
Craig Kimbrel is completely different. he didn’t sign. Til june. Half the season was nearly gone.
Cubs had 4-5 brutal relief pitchers needing replaced. They just filled one . Theo will never learn cheap bullpens keep you out of playoffs
That’s not true. The rays had an elite cheap pen. The nats had a terrible pen that wasn’t paid a ton, yet won the world series.
Lol the cubs last year
Had
Morrow 13
Kimbrell 13
Morrow 11
Cisashak 5
Strop 5
It wasn’t good but not cheap they just sucked
They had two guys named Morrow in the pen?
Zach725 rays never won a World Series and nats saved by starters going 7 innings . You play World Series and starters only going 5 you wouldn’t win. Heck Corbin pitched most of relief and you paid him like a ace. Plus Doolittle and Hudson aren’t dumpster arms like cubs had
In 2016—the games the Cubs won their starters went 5.2, 5.2, 6, and 4.2 innings. You can go 5 and win a World Series.
In 2017–the games the Astros won the pitchers went 6, 5.1, 3.2 and 2.1 innings.
2018 Red Sox: 6, 4, 5.2, 7
This year’s Nationals: 5, 6. 8.1, 5
Stephen Strasburg is the ONLY starting pitcher in a winning World Series game the last four years to go over 7 innings (David Price went 7 innings in 2018).
Teams consistently win the World Series with starters only going five innings—or less……..in fact in the two games that Scherzer pitched this season and the Nats won—-he went FIVE innings.
Who were the bullpen pitchers in those games ??? Once again starter Corbin. Who in 2016??? Chapman until his arm fell off . Game 7 Lester pitched . Of course Montgomery got the greatest kit ever recorded in World Series history that broke the curse.
The Nationals just won the World Series with a bullpen consisting of Daniel Hudson, Javy Guerra, Sean Doolittle, Tanner Rainey, Fernando Rodney and Wander Suero.
No one in the Rays’ bullpen made more than $1.275MM.
The most expensive bullpen in baseball was part of a 91-loss Rockies team.
Not saying anything specifically about this deal, but generalities like yours are rarely true. (To say nothing of the fact that the Cubs signed Craig Kimbrel this past summer, so their bullpen won’t exactly be “cheap.”)
The Nationals had a ridiculous rotation and hardly relied on their bullpen to win that series. The Cubs do not have a Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Sanchez rotation to utilize.
But we’re talking about bullpens not starters. Try and keep up.
Steve Adams how many of them pitches in World Series ?? Corbin pitched most and Hudson and Doolittle . Agree with yankeepride88
The point still stands that you do not need to spend big on a bullpen or have an amazing bullpen to win and many teams have proved that over the years. Why are you arguing this? Just to be a contrarian?
No you are just wrong . Once again keep up it’s not the cheap arms you all refer to who win a 9-7 game against the tigers in June that win World Series . Nats astros cubs Red Sox all used Chapman sale Corbin to close World Series . Not dumpster purchases . Heck Greg Maddux pitched in bullpen during Braves hey day. Who got giants last out was it a cheap pen guy or mad bum? Waiting …..
Cheap bullpens? Morrow, Kintzler, Strop, Cishek, Kimbrel, Chatwood were NOT cheap. Unhealthy and unproductive bullpens will keep you out of the playoffs—expensive or cheap.
…and paying gobs of money for that unproductive, ineffective bullpen will hurt you even more.
And don’t forget Rizzo can pitch too if needed and he makes a lot of money too.
Kimbrel didn’t start season with Cubs . Morrow never pitched chatwood was signed as a starter kintzler strop cischeck 5 million dollar arms is pretty cheap . Give me bentances Hudson Harris and you can pitch strop cischeck chatwood and we will see who wins game
Hudson was signed for 1.5 mill last year, after being released after spring training. He was the cheapest of all the guys you listed
I am all for a cheap upside bullpen if they sign a front line starter or big bat
I think you’re confusing cheap with good. It is entirely possible to have a good bullpen without throwing money at it, which by the way, the Cubs have done the last couple years, and those signings didn’t work out to well
surprised no one did this after he was released
Good lord
Stockpiling more low quality arms. The cubs (Theo) haven’t learned anything from the past.
I guess if you throw enough crap against a wall some of it will stick
That’s what chisux hopes every time she comments.
Do you mean to say that he is no Tayron Guerrero? Or did you mean that he is not as good as Zach Wheeler?
Just asking, K.
Well there is their big signing this offseason.
He’s a solid enough pitcher. Overperformed for the most part as a Braves. He’s nice to have if he turns it on again.
Theo – bottom fishing again. No bullpen = no playoffs
I hope he pitches well for the Cubs. He has fought through some injuries over the years, and it would be nice to seem if he can stay healthy and put it all together!
Truth is, bullpen arms are unpredictable. Never know who has a great season even if someone is a no name in many fans eyes.
I still remember all the “analysts” (if you can call any of those clowns analysts) on MLB Network, laughing at the Brewers trade for Pomeranz last trade deadline saying how terrible he is. Now look at him. One of the best lefty bullpen arms in the game.
The most unpredictable thing in baseball = bullpen.
Wrong umpires strike zone
@Mikel Grady. I will stand corrected on that. I’m personally ready for robo-zones
Ayyy!
Probably would have been better off signing Henry
You never know with bullpen pitchers. They can be great one year and suck the next . The best you can try to do is to get a lot of arms and hope for the best.
That’s why you pay a lot of money to the ones that are predictably good.
But who has been predictably good lately ?? Even some of the best like the dodgers closer was bad last year
How’d that work out for the Rockies?
They need is a number one starter and a lead off hitter. They have a good start to the bullpen with Kimbrel, Wieck, Wick, Ryan, and Chatwood. A signing of Will Harris can shore it up even further. All this talk about lack of budget makes no sense. They can afford Cole because he would essentially be replacing Lester who is coming off the books next year. Trading Bryant should also bring pitching prospects to the club. What is the mystery? Instead we are hearing about Castellanos rumors? Seriously? That would be stupid because Heyward loses any worth he has when you move him to CF. Unless you can dump Heyward somewhere and eat part of the contract, then Castellanos is out of the question. Pitching above all else, if the season started today they would be in danger of finishing with a losing record.
I agree Heyward belongs in right. I wouldn’t have a problem if they signed Castellanos to play left and traded Schwarber for some talent.
So you would switch Schwarber for Castellanos who would cost twice as much? That makes even less sense considering Schwarber is the better offensive player.
They also need a CFer and if possible, one who can lead off. The offense has never clicked since Fowler left… Heyward needs to stay in RF.
Yeah, they need pitching. I believe I heard this correctly, but the Cubs were the only team in MLB to not have a pitcher younger than 29 get a win in 2019. They desperately need good, young inexpensive starters and relievers,.
I believe they meant starting pitcher – several members of the cubs BP got wins and are younger than 29 ( mills wick,maples) – plus chatwood and hendricks were 29 and quintana was 30 so it isn’t like the whole staff is 35+
They should have signed Henry Winkler!
Good low risk/high ceiling move. Fun fact-Dan Winkler is the nephew of TV icon-Henry Winkler, better known as Arthur Fonzarelli(The Fonz) from the TV show Happy Days. Ayyyyyeeeeee!!!
It’s not Ayyyyyeeeeee, it’s Heeeeeyyyyy.
Nothing you just said was true
Yes, this will turn it all around, and our dynasty will be back. I also predicted this in the free agent contest
The Cubs front office has indicated roster shake ups and changes after missing the playoffs last season. So, here they come.
Yay, more of Epstein’s lousy trades to look forward to. His preference for low risk/low cost players fits better with the Tampa Bays and Oaklands of the world, not latge market clubs like the cubs. Yeah, he should be fired.
Filling out the Iowa Cubs bullpen!
Good luck to Winkler. I thought he always showed some promise, but injuries kept holding him back.
Pitchers thrive on roles and routines. If you know your job in the bullpen and the types of games that you’ll be called upon, that allows you to be more focused on being prepared to pitch well. When pitchers either underperform or get injured there’s a ripple effect on the staff. There’s a balance of factors leading to both success and/or failure.
That is why I am glad Maddon is gone. Nobody knew their role under Maddon and he played injured players too soon.
That’s bs. Those guys knew what they were brought in to do. They all sucked in every role they were used in. You can’t coach someone to close out a game, or to get three outs in the 8th inning. That’s a personnel problem, not the Manager. Like what is Joe supposed to do if you blow a lead every time you go out there?
Him and Matheny were the two worst managers in baseball over the past 5 years. Maddon just had a ton of talent to work with.
Dumb response. Would it hurt you to read and think a little? Like, how specifically was the closer fiasco with the cubs Joe Maddon’s fault. Also, how was Almora’s lousy hitting Joe’s fault, since they blame him for that too. Players apparently aren’t responsible for poor performance anymore. Just blame some guy standing in a dugout fifty feet away. How convenient for the ignorant fans.
Who exactly did not know their role?
who?
im just amazed at how many teams are signing very average hurt prone pitchers, between the draft scouts and minors how are teams THIS desperate? i dont mean this one guy just in general, whats next, to call guys that have retired to come back? you read about these injurys or that the player was in korea japan etc and now ‘trying’ to make it back, when did baseball become this? theirs enough money that all 30 teams should have atleast 2 good to great starters and a good closer and 2 great bullpen arms, this isn’t exactly tiddlywinks as far what the owners are making, since when is signing hurt scrapheap players the norm?
Because 5-10 million dollar bullpen arms add up really fast and haven’t been very reliable.
Why is no one talking about the potential Bartolo Colon to the Cubs Earth-shaker? You guys are sleeping on that one.
Wowza Theo sure spent all the money on poor contracts. This is the 3rd or 4th signing of this kind. Garbage.