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Cubs Release Brandon Morrow

By Jeff Todd | July 8, 2020 at 5:33pm CDT

The Cubs have released right-handed hurler Brandon Morrow, according to the latest transactions report from Baseball America’s Chris Hilburn-Trenkle. He had been with the organization on a minor-league deal.

This would appear to bring an end to the saga of Morrow’s tenure with the Cubs. He had already wrapped up a two-year deal that began with immense promise and ended in disappointment. An attempted comeback this season ran into trouble from the jump, as Morrow was sidelined early in camp with a calf injury.

Soon to turn 36, Morrow last threw in the majors in the first half of the 2018 season. But it sounds as if he’s still hoping to take another crack at gettingĀ his roller-coaster career back on track with another organization. Morrow is presently recovering from a “minor nerve procedure,” per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link), but will attempt to play in 2020.

It may seem like an unlikely quest, but it’s worth remembering just how good Morrow was when last we saw him. In 30 2/3 innings for the Cubs, he racked up 22 saves and allowed just five earned runs with a 31:9 K/BB ratio. When he first experienced mid-season forearm issues, the hope was that he’d only be out for a brief stretch. Unfortunately, that did not prove to be the case.

Morrow’s entire career has been marked by ups and downs, with health generally playing a significant role. The former fifth overall pick showed ample talent at times with the Mariners and Blue Jays, but never consistently delivered results while dealing with intermittent arm problems. He had some moments in a halting attempt to get back in a groove with the Padres, but only managed to throw 49 innings over two seasons.

It all finally seemed to come together with the Dodgers in 2017, as Morrow emerged as a late-inning force over the course of the season and through a run to the World Series. The L.A. organization came to rely upon him heavily, calling upon him for 13 2/3 innings over the postseason — including appearances in every single contest of the seven-game World Series. Morrow answered the bell repeatedly, outside of a Game 5 blip. While that showing ultimately earned Morrow a two-year, $21MM deal, it may also have set the stage for the eventual recurrence of the arm issues that had limited him earlier in his career.

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Brandon Morrow Chicago Cubs Transactions

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44 comments
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Comments

  1. RedKing22

    7 months ago

    Would be very surprised if he doesn’t latch on somewhere in the lower half of the league

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Patches O'Houlihan

      7 months ago

      Morrow had a minor nerve procedure and will take a bit of time to ramp up, pretty much will not be ready to open the season and needs time to get into game shape and why the Cubs released him. Also has not pitched since mid 2018 due to layers are arms issues.

      Also I see Morrow opting out of this season anyhow, he is a type 1 Diabetic, so it would be smart for him to sit out.

      2 Like
      Reply
      • RedKing22

        7 months ago

        Very fair assessment. I think as a bullpen piece for a non-contender he’ll be picked up later on. Maybe even soon to get him with the team and starting his recovery and rehab and whatnot. If he can be healthy (unlikely) he could be an okay chip.

        Like
        Reply
    • clepto

      7 months ago

      Wasnt he already in the lower half of the league???

      6 Like
      Reply
      • RedKing22

        7 months ago

        Haha good point

        Like
        Reply
    • ImAdude

      7 months ago

      Like Trevor Rosenthal?

      Like
      Reply
  2. kingcong95

    7 months ago

    Brandon Morrow was born with glass bones and paper skin.
    Every morning he breaks his leg, and every afternoon he breaks his arm.

    4 Like
    Reply
    • goalieguy41

      7 months ago

      Paper skin?

      Like
      Reply
      • wild bill tetley

        7 months ago

        Probably paper.

        Like
        Reply
    • flippinbats79

      7 months ago

      He has type 1 diabetes and this generally makes you more susceptible to injury and much slower to heal.

      Like
      Reply
  3. Cgoss

    7 months ago

    Sign him Baltimore

    Like
    Reply
  4. Oddvark

    7 months ago

    Seems unfair to blame an umpire for his problems: “An attempted comeback this season ran into trouble from the ump …”

    3 Like
    Reply
    • great_gumbino

      7 months ago

      Yea I didn’t quite get that either. Morrow has brittle bone syndrome. He was a dodger beast though

      Like
      Reply
    • EndinStealth

      7 months ago

      Must be a typo. Never heard that phrase before.

      1 Like
      Reply
    • Vizionaire

      7 months ago

      shouldn’t it be ‘from the jump’?

      2 Like
      Reply
      • Jeff Todd

        7 months ago

        Yeah that’s what I was going for … just wanted to make sure everyone was paying attention ;)

        3 Like
        Reply
  5. Datashark

    7 months ago

    mid 30’s pitcher who averages 21 games a season for last 6 seasons played in a world of 60 game baseball that ain’t bad for right now.

    2 Like
    Reply
  6. NotoriousVC

    7 months ago

    He’s another minor league deal and a few good healthy weeks away from cashing in, again.

    I think he’s over $50 million in career earnings now.

    Like
    Reply
  7. tytomkiel

    7 months ago

    Dang. Hope he lands somewhere.

    Like
    Reply
  8. Lloyd Emerson

    7 months ago

    And to think, the guy hurt himself taking his pants off. And then he never threw another pitch for the Chicago Cubs.

    2 Like
    Reply
  9. forwhomjoshbelltolls

    7 months ago

    He was pretty good with the Dallas Stars.

    3 Like
    Reply
  10. Afk711

    7 months ago

    Come back to the Dodgers

    Like
    Reply
    • doug.daniel243

      7 months ago

      Dilly dilly to that!

      Like
      Reply
  11. JDGoat

    7 months ago

    Dave Roberts and the Dodgers owe him an opportunity after absolutely running his arm into the ground in the playoffs.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Thundercub12

      7 months ago

      It’s a shame the Cubs couldn’t see that before they signed him. I think a lot of people in the industry thought he couldn’t stay healthy when he signed.Theo and company are good at trading for players but besides Lester and Zobrist most of the of the free agent signs have been terrible deals for the Cubs

      Like
      Reply
      • whosyourmomma

        7 months ago

        Just one of the many “great” deals by Theo. Theo’s first ever with Cubs was trading DJ Lamahieu for Ian Stewart and obviously he continues to waste millions & millions on free agents but somehow most Cubs fans turn a blind eye to that.

        Like
        Reply
    • wild bill tetley

      7 months ago

      The Dodgers “owe” him? Oh yes, because Morrow was a picture of health before going to LA. Whatever he was owed was paid for by the Chicago Cubs.

      Like
      Reply
  12. seattlesuperfan

    7 months ago

    I really liked him over his career with the ms but all the injuries man….. it’s too bad

    Like
    Reply
    • marinerfan

      7 months ago

      Agreed. But I always felt the M’s jerked him around needlessly. Is he a starter? A reliever? Oh no, he’s a starter again. No a reliever. Hey Brandon, what do you want to be?

      Like
      Reply
  13. DarkSide830

    7 months ago

    a nice 60th man for any good team, but my guess is he opts out or retires if he doesnt make a 30.

    Like
    Reply
    • Phiilies2020

      7 months ago

      Phils need RHP set up but I think you might be right about retiring if he doesn’t make a 30

      Like
      Reply
  14. raiders

    7 months ago

    Dodgers ran him into the ground in 2017. Never should have signed him

    1 Like
    Reply
  15. kingen99

    7 months ago

    $21 million and change for 30 innings of work for the Cubs. Great work if you can find it.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • ervin_magic_johnson

      7 months ago

      Only in America!

      Like
      Reply
    • 88good ol days

      7 months ago

      Wow. I knew this but seeing it in writing is mind blowing. That needs to change. If you ever wonder why owners might be jerks sometimes, look here.

      Like
      Reply
  16. BPax

    7 months ago

    We Mariner fans will always remember him as the guy they took instead of hometown boy Tim Lincecum.. The M’s didn’t think The Freak would hold up for the long haul and they were right. But Morrow’s been chronically injured himself. He could touch 100 on the gun and he’s made around fifty million dollars so good for him and I hope he pitches again. As for Lincecum, it would have been great to have him paired with The King for a few seasons. But he had his legendary time with the Giants and was so fun to watch.

    Like
    Reply
  17. goalieguy41

    7 months ago

    If he had just gone to the bullpen. Jays put him there at the start. He wanted to be a starter and a few good games then kaput.

    Like
    Reply
    • wild bill tetley

      7 months ago

      At no point was Toronto grooming him as a reliever. He was acquired to start. That was Anthopoulos’ intention when he got Morrow. And Morrow didn’t have a relief appearance until year number 5 with the Jays.

      Like
      Reply
  18. wreckage

    7 months ago

    Does the minimum batter rule also change his worth with his injury history now?

    Like
    Reply
  19. brucenewton

    7 months ago

    Astros were on to him in game 5. 4 batters, 6 pitches, 4 runs.

    Like
    Reply
  20. pwndroia

    7 months ago

    What I just noticed about this guy is really unique. His stats are all over the place, but what is more is the fact that his FIP doesn’t match his ERA in about 80% of the seasons he’s pitched. His FIP is either better or worse, and several years his FIP is a whole run or more over or under that same year’s ERA. In most cases, ERA and FIP show some correlation. Not as much with this guy.

    That tells me that you really don’t know what you’ll get from him. He’s worth a gamble.

    Like
    Reply
  21. DodgerOK

    7 months ago

    Hope he saved a lot of that 21 million dollar contract. His body obviously is built for the MLB grind.

    Like
    Reply
  22. wild bill tetley

    7 months ago

    Atlanta has probably called Morrow’s agent. Could see a spring training invite in 2021. Don’t see him playing this year if-healthy due to his diabetes.

    Like
    Reply
  23. NickGarren

    7 months ago

    We let Wade Davis walk and signed him.

    Like
    Reply

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