The Cubs have agreed to terms with right-hander Marcus Walden on a minor league deal, his representatives at Ball Players Agency announced (Twitter link).
Walden, 32, opened the season with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate and has seen time in the Majors with Boston in each of the past three seasons. He was a solid middle-inning option for them from 2018-19, piling up 92 2/3 frames of 3.79 ERA ball while striking out 23.3 percent of his opponents against a 9.1 percent walk rate. Walden recorded an excellent 54.3 percent ground-ball rate in that time and averaged 94.2 mph on his sinker in that time.
The 2020 season, however, marked a considerable step in the wrong direction. Walden’s sinker dipped by 1.3 mph, and his ground-ball rate fell to 40.4 percent while his strikeout rate (14.1 percent) and walk rate (12.7 percent) both fell off. That came in a sample of just 13 1/3 innings, during which the righty was tagged for 14 earned runs on 23 hits (five homers) and nine walks with 10 punchouts.
The Red Sox designated Walden for assignment in late February after signing Marwin Gonzalez to a one-year deal, and he remained in the organization via an outright assignment after clearing waivers. He spent the season thus far in Triple-A Worcester, pitching to a 4.01 ERA and posting rate stats that look much more similar to his solid 2018-19 levels: a 20.9 percent strikeout rate, a 9.9 percent walk rate and a huge 57.6 percent ground-ball rate. Boston released him last week.
With the Cubs, Walden ought to have a good chance at working his way to the big leagues before long. Chicago has overhauled its bullpen in the past month, trading Andrew Chafin, Ryan Tepera and Craig Kimbrel prior to the July 30 deadline and more recently designating both Kyle Ryan and Dan Winkler for assignment. The Cubs have very little in the way of established relievers in the ’pen at this point, so a strong showing for Walden in Iowa could earn him a look sooner than later.
The Cubs are a joke.
They are a joke because they are trying to find some middle relief help for the rest of the season?
They are a joke because they can’t develop any on their own and they traded away everybody and they don’t have jack squat to show for it.
Actually a lot of the trade acquisitions the Cubs made in exchange for their veteran players on expiring contracts in a season where the team was noncompetitive are promising young players with at least future major league bench/bullpen viability. They also have possibly up to $150 million in payroll open for 2022. They are in position to make a huge splash in an attempt to begin building their next core around young guys like Hoerner, Madrigal, Deichmann, Davis, Steele, Thompson, Alzolay, you get the picture. There is a lot of potential with these young guys. It may all be for nothing. That’s the joy of baseball. You never really know what will happen with a team in any given moment.
Don’t forget Armstrong and Heuer
They will be good prospects as well
$150 million isn’t going to be enough to fill all the holes the Cubs have. They need a couple of OFers, a corner INF (at least), a few SP, and nearly entire bullpen.
A joke because guys like Rizzo, Bryant, Baez weren’t getting it done and the moved on?!? C’mon man, once the Cubs lost 11 in a row they pulled the plug, something they should have started to do a couple of years ago…say what you want but they got quite a few top notch players that they can utilize or flip for better players. The only player worth a damn this year they got rid of was Kimbrel and so far that trade is working in Cubs favor and Madrigal hasn’t even played yet. You obv aren’t a Cubs fan or if you are you’re just mad because they dumped the name players. Rizzo is over 30 with a bad back, Baez can’t lay off the low and away breaking stuff and leads the majors in errors and Bryant was only going to resign if he got $250m + and that’s never going to happen with any team. Better to cut your losses and try to improve than remain status quo. Let’s not forget next years payroll sits at about $30m right now
Cubs will turn him into the next top setup guy and flip him for their peanuts
The Cubs are a joke. It starts at the top with ownership and trickles it way down to the minor league team they put on the field.
The Ricketts stopped caring about winning 6 years ago.
Maybe they really are broke Naybe their father legit cut them off. He’s technically the owner. He just isn’t involved in any of the decisions.
I wonder if anyone thinks the Cubs are a joke?
Ha!
Will Walden leave his pond?
Cubs are a joke…
Otay, the fact is this signing is a minor league signing, so let see what happens…
While Walden doesn’t have a ton of upside, was kind of baffled the Sox released him when they did. Several other retreads at AAA with no chance of doing any good at MLB level, where Walden could at best, in dire emergency possibly help some. Maybe he asked for his release after being in the organization for like half dozen years and wanting another fresh start, if not? Think a minor poor move in keeping few other garbage relievers at AAA over him.
You can have Andriese, too
Walden should fit right in. Our Cubs could use a 32 year old with a AAA ERA around 4.00.
Say what you want but you want but it was time to pull the plug. They have restocked the farm and will probably use retreads like Walden thru 2022-23 hoping that some young players from the farm will emerge in 2023. I wouldn’t expect any big ticket free agents until some of the current farm players are starting at the major league level. Expect 100 million payroll for next two seasons. This is the anticipated minimum imposed by the league. Ownership made large investments in the park and surroundings along with launching a new network. I doubt there is any roster spending in the near future if the league doesn’t impose a minimum.