The Cubs announced Friday that they’ve reinstated right-hander Tommy Nance from the Covid-19-related injured list and designated him for assignment. Nance went on the Covid list earlier in the week as a corresponding move when the team finalized its one-year deals with lefties Drew Smyly and Daniel Norris. However, with no open 40-man spot to return to, Nance will now either be traded or placed on waivers within a week’s time.
Nance, 31, made his MLB debut last season and tossed 28 2/3 innings out of the Chicago bullpen. He was hit hard in that time, yielding five homers and a 7.22 ERA, but Nance impressed in Triple-A (2.35 ERA, 18-to-3 K/BB ratio in 15 1/3 frames) and has a generally solid track record in the upper minors.
Struggles during his first taste of the Majors notwithstanding, Nance could appeal to other clubs for a few reasons. He averaged better than 95 mph on a heater that had above-average spin, and the spin rate on his curveball ranked among the game’s elite, landing in the 90th percentile. He also punched out 26.1% of the opponents he faced between Triple-A and the Majors last year and has a pair of minor league option seasons remaining. If Nance does pass through waivers unclaimed, he can return to Cubs camp and would likely head to Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2022 season in hopes of pitching his way back up to the MLB club.
Sounds like a Yankee pickup… Cashman loves these types
Nance was unhittable before the foreign substance crackdown.
His stuff is legitimate and a great story.
He sure wasn’t “legitimate” after the rule change.
Agreed. In fact, I just posted that before I read the comments.
No doubt it played a big part. He had a good fastball with a lot of movement and some great breaking stuff. He was never drafted and scraped around independent ball, I was rooting for him.
The foreign substance stuff hurt this guy.
How heartless and anti-science to DFA him simply out of fear of Long COVID symptoms. This Chicago FO disgusts me.
I hope you’re joking.
That’s a very disingenuous and scummy accusation.
The disgust is in that accusation.
I hope someone claims him… dude was lights out before the league cracked down on spider tack and then all the sudden couldn’t get anyone out.
May 0.00 ERA
June 7.36
Nance was part of the Cubs bullpen that started last season with a bang – they were terrific. That is, until they stopped the sticky stuff. After that, some of them, most notably this guy, really struggled. I’m sure it was just a coincidence
I kinda love his wind-up.
He was great last year until the foreign substance crackdown hit
He will end up somewhere else. I expect him to be claimed.