The Cubs are designating veteran first baseman Trey Mancini for assignment, as noted by Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM. BleacherNation’s Michael Cerami was first with the news that Mancini would be removed from the roster. Mancini’s departure coincides with the impending return of third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who will now join the active roster following the Cubs’ deal to re-acquire him from the Nationals yesterday.
Mancini, who signed a two-year deal with the Cubs this past offseason, sees his tenure in Chicago come to an end after less than a full season. It’s been a brutal season at the dish for Mancini, who has slashed just .234/.299/.336 in 263 plate appearances with the Cubs this season, a line good for a well below-average wRC+ of just 74. That limited production has come while Mancini has spent time at first base, in right field, and as the club’s DH this season, grading well below average defensive at the former two positions.
Mancini’s struggles at the plate date back to a mid-season trade that sent him from the Orioles to the Astros last year. In 51 regular season games for the 2022 World Series champions in Houston, Mancini struggled mightily to a .178/.258/.364 slash line. That performance in Houston was hampered by an unsustainably low .191 BABIP, but no such misfortune plagues Mancini in Chicago, where his wOBA (.280) was actually higher than his xwOBA (.270) and his .327 BABIP was slightly above his career mark of .313.
Candelario, Patrick Wisdom, Miguel Amaya, and Cody Bellinger are all options for the Cubs at first base currently on the major league roster, with first base prospect Matt Mervis waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Mervis struggled to adjust to big league pitching earlier this year in 99 trips to the plate, but has slashed .297/.400/.553 for his career at the Triple-A level, leaving room for optimism he could contribute at the big league level in the future.
Gonna be the Giants big pickup of the deadline
Bigger pickup than the Yankees are getting.
Mancini, Pollock and Haniger outfield incoming
Maybe if he can hit lefties
How the mighty have fallen.
Best wishes to you Trey.
Assuming Mancini clears waivers, the Nationals can pick him up to complete the corner IF swap with the Cubs.
Finally.
Nothing against Mancini as a person – he’s a cancer survivor after all – but as a baseball player, he’s been terrible this year. He’s incapable of playing defense, and he doesn’t hit enough to be a DH. Good luck and good riddance.
This was a questionable signing in the offseason and here’s what we all feared would happen I guess.
Brian Cashman’s ears just perked up….
That would be a terrible pickup for the Yankees, he’s the type of player Yankees need to get away from.
In some more good news for the Cubs 2 of their draft picks are at M.B. A and Shaw and Rivera are playing tonight for South Bend , High A. Apparently their stay in Az was very brief.
I was at the Nationals’ Carolina League game tonight and they had three draft picks starting for the first time tonight as well.
I am hoping that they will work Shaw a little bit at 3B this month, since Myrtle Beach already made the playoff. It would be good for them to evaluate his potential fit there before instructs.
He’s in South bend. Shaw and Rivera just went past A to High A
Oh, I just noticed. Horton was just promoted to AA Tennessee. Things are moving along nicely.
That defense was really bad. The hitting not much better
Mancini’s struggles are tragic. Best wishes to him with his next opportunity!
If he clears waivers Orioles should sign him to AAA deal. Something worked there and if returns to form (99% chance won’t return to peak), it’s a win and gives you a bit of depth/insurance/bench bat at low cost. If not you can bring him up for a day for a farewell.
They should see if the Cubs will trade him for a bag of balls before the deadline. If he benefits from a change of scenery he could maybe break back into the roster before the end of the season.
He already said farewell.
Not surprising. He just wasn’t getting it done.
Upon being informed of this DFA, Mancini responded, “But I…….but you…….but we……but they…….but she…..”. Hoyer: “I know, Trey, that’s what they all say.”
Cubbies can Rizzo back. Make Yankees an offer
How much the Yanks paying?
Rizzo for Mancini ha
This is baseball not moralityball. Hit and throw or go down.
As a Cubs fan, thank you Jed Hoyer. It was a terrible signing, like most FA signings. Build the Farm System and stop signing FA’s. Build & Trade.
Yuh how dumb to sign Bellinger and Stroman…idiot!
Tauchman too
How many you leaving off that have been signed. Example Mancini 2 year contract, let go today. How about Seya, another year to go. Stroman awful since All Star Break. Go back to Bradley, Heyward on & on. There have been a couple decent signings, but Stroman isn’t one of them. No need to call names, unless you get triggered easily.
I’m not saying this decision is bad, What I am saying is I really don’t understand the love affair the Cubs have with Patrick Wisdom. He must cut Ricketts grass or something.
How do you figure?? Can only hide him on roster so long even he would say cubs tried everything
Back to Baltimore?
What a bizarre and nonsensical comment.
Ok here is harsh truth He sucks
Him beating cancer has nothing to do with his “firing”.
Single most agonizing moment of the year was him dropping a four foot toss in London against the Cards. instantly turned a 4-0 lead into a tie–then a loss. Just brutal.
If it’s a hard deadline now, are trades for players designated for assignment also limited to occur in the next 20 minutes? I think only players who haven’t been on a 40-man roster all year can be traded afterwards.
AJ Preller line one…
Hopefully a change of scenery can get Mancini back to hitting consistently, certainly hoping for the best for the lad.
What a snowflake take
He is worth the Phillies taking a shot at if he can play left a little. Might need a change of scenery.
Yeah, Put Mancini in that OF. Wow. That could be the worst fielding OF in the history of baseball.
I’m sure he’s no worse than Schwarber in the OF or going back a ways Burrell. He’s got a .990 fielding percentage both in the OF and at 1b.
And the range of a caterpillar at both.
No one’s claiming him. Now is a good time to pack it in and retire. There is little incentive to continue.
Mancini (like Hosmer) was only a short term fix with the hope that Mervis would step up this year. and hope that there was something like the Orioles version of Mancini still in there.