The Cubs reinstated right-hander Adrian Sampson from the 60-day injured list yesterday, tweets Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Rather than add the veteran righty back to the 40-man roster, the Cubs instead passed him through waivers, where he went unclaimed, and assigned him outright to Triple-A Iowa.
Sampson, 31, pitched to a strong 3.03 ERA in 139 2/3 innings with the Cubs from 2021-22 upon his return from the Korea Baseball Organization, although fielding-independent metrics like FIP (4.28) and SIERA (4.44) were far less optimistic, in large part because of a pedestrian 17.6% strikeout rate. Sampson’s 6.1% walk rate was excellent, however, and he kept the ball on the ground at an only slightly below-average 41% clip.
That solid showing notwithstanding, it’s been a tough year for Sampson. The righty sustained a meniscus injury back April that would eventually require surgery. He’s pitched a total of 25 1/3 minor league frames this year and been tagged for an 8.17 ERA in that time. Sampson posted an ERA north of 8.00 in two appearances before the injury and in six appearances since returning.
As a player who’s been outrighted in the past, Sampson does have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, though he lacks the service time required to do so while retaining the remainder of his $1.9MM salary. That salary, paired with his recent struggles, surely tamped down interest in a potential waiver claim.
Given that financial commitment, he’ll surely accept an outright and remain on hand as a depth option for a Cubs team that could move at least one starter between now and next week’s trade deadline.
More importantly what are my Cubies looking for in a Bellinger deal? I would think a Everson Pereira or a Trey Sweeney. A hard thrower like a Will Warren. And a starter like Randy Vasquez. And a Oswaldo Cabrera also? Let me know my Cubie Faithful.
Sampson has one team on his no trade clause. The Yankees.
It’s the hair, you know.
5.09 FIP…not surprised
Delilah won’t be pleased.
He pitched good for Cubs last year, if someone gets traded he’ll fill in
Wesneski is in AAA getting stretched out, Sampson won’t be the next man up. Actually being outrighted off the 40 man means it would be highly unlikely he gets picked up regardless
It’s actually a fairly sly move by management to have Sampson signed to that contract and attached to that $1.9m. He’s essentially expanded the cubs to a 41-man roster in his position. He’s a fringe 40-man roster guy for sure. If he was healthy and performed for the cubs he’d probably be in the majors, but that’s peanuts to pay him and play so poorly that no other team will take on him and his contract. If someone snagged him from the cubs then they are off the hook of paying him another dollar. But it’s why he’s stuck in the cubs organization and if he gets right (no he probably won’t), then the cubs can add him back to the 40-man and bring him back to Chicago. I believe they have at least one other player kind of in this same type contract situation. I can’t remember who.
Bote
Was about to say the same thing.
Cheap emergency, AAAA depth
Sampsonite. I was WAY off!
I want to talk to him.