Cubs left-hander Rex Brothers elected free agency after he was outrighted off Chicago’s 40-man roster earlier this week, The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro reports (Twitter link). Since Brothers has been outrighted multiple times in his career, he had the right to become a free agent rather than accept the Cubs’ assignment — in fact, Brothers also opted for free agency almost exactly a year ago, after another outright off the Cubs’ 40-man.
Brothers has inked minor league deals with the Cubs in each of the last two offseasons. After tossing only 3 1/3 innings in 2020, he received a much longer look this season, with 53 innings out of Chicago’s bullpen. The first 27 1/3 of those innings were stellar, as the southpaw posted a 2.63 through June 27, but things then started to decline for the veteran. His final 25 2/3 innings resulted in an 8.06 ERA, giving Brothers an overall 5.26 ERA for the season.
Home runs (nine), hard contact, and especially walks were the biggest problems for Brothers, as his 14.8% walk rate was one of the highest of any pitcher in the league. These issues outweighed some very impressive strikeout numbers, as Brothers’ 31.8 K% and whiff rate both fell in the 92nd percentile of all pitchers. While the home runs have been a more recent problem for Brothers, he has long struggled with his control, even dating back to his 2011 rookie season with the Rockies.
Brothers posted some very solid numbers with Colorado from 2011-13, but the team cut ties with him following the 2015 season, dealing him to the Cubs for Brothers’ first stint in Wrigleyville. The Cubs released Brothers that spring, however, and he didn’t play anywhere in 2016 before catching on with the Braves organization for two more seasons.
Brothers turns 34 in December, so time may be running out for the left-hander to show that he can finally harness his control and take full advantage of his ability to miss bats. It seems likely that another team (maybe even the Cubs again) will give Brothers another look on a minor league contract.
All of them?
Larry, Moe, and Curley Rex.
To be straight up honest, I totally thought a pair of brothers with the last name Rex were entering FA
C’mon Mister LOL. That comment is worthy of your reply. LOL
Everybody thought this was about two guys born of the same mother and/or father with the last name Rex.
Now who will be the mop up reliever that has a drug store style of a name?
No big loss here. GM’s leave your offers in the Garbage can in Centennial Park next to the bandstand and wait for a reply. Only non serious offers please.
A great guy. He walked into my sons school classroom to pick him up to go duck hunting back when he when he played for Colorado. Best of luck to him.
For a second, I thought this was Dr. Rex Brothers. How about that?
Might not be a busy market. Whichever team signs them has to install two mounds
The only thing that sticks out to me is Rodon. Who is going to surrender a 2nd round draft pick plus pay 25mil for 1 year of a guy who finished the season injured and has a history of injury problems? Rodon knows he had a career year. He’s going to look at parlaying it into as long of a multi year contact as possible with as high of an AAV as he can get, even if it’s 12mil per year.
At first glance the rest of the list looks great!