The Cubs selected the contract of infielder David Bote this morning, as noted by Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay was placed on the 60-day injured list to make room for Bote on the 40-man roster, while infielder Nick Madrigal was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding active roster move.
The news marks the 31-year-old Bote’s first time on a big league roster since 2022 after he was outrighted off the Cubs roster in November of that year. Bote remained in the organization despite having more than the three years of service time necessary to reject an outright assignment because he did not have the five years of service time required to retain his salary. That was particularly significant for Bote, who was in the midst of a five-year, $15MM extension he signed with Chicago prior to the 2019 season.
That left Bote to play out the 2023 season and the beginning of the 2024 season at the Triple-A level, where he’s posted above average numbers in both seasons while splitting time between all four infield spots. In his return to the majors, the Cubs are surely hoping that Bote can offer the club decent production off the bench, as he did in his first five seasons with the club. To this point in his big league career, Bote has slashed a combined .231/.318/.393 (91 wRC+) while playing primarily second and third base.
Even that slightly below average production would constitute a major upgrade over what Madrigal has offered the Cubs so far this season. In 94 trips to the plate across 51 games with the club this year, the 27-year-old has hit a paltry .221/.280/.256 with just four walks and three extra-base hits, all of them doubles. That translates to a wRC+ of just 59, and the infielder hasn’t made up for that anemic offensive production with the glove, as his -5 Outs Above Average this year places him in the third percentile of all qualified fielders this year.
It’s been an extremely frustrating Cubs tenure for the former fourth overall pick in the 2018, who was traded across town alongside Codi Heuer in the deal that sent Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox at the 2021 trade deadline. Since making his Cubs debut in 2022, Madrigal has hit just .254/.301/.312 with a wRC+ of 75 as he’s struggled to translate his pure contact profile into production at the major league level due to lack of power and a minuscule 4.5% walk rate. The 27-year-old will now head to Triple-A in hopes of figuring things out at the level while waiting for his next big league opportunity.
Making room on the club’s 40-man roster for Bote is Alzolay, who has been sidelined since the middle of last month due to a flexor strain. While the Cubs have previously indicated that surgery is not being considered for their closer, he nonetheless already appeared poised for a lengthy absence when manager Craig Counsell indicated late last month that Alzolay would remain shut down for at the next few weeks. Now that Alzolay has been transferred to the 60-day IL, even a minimum stay would keep him out until around the All Star break. It’s a tough blow to a Cubs team that has struggled badly in the bullpen, as their relievers have combined for a 4.53 ERA that’s better than only the lowly Rockies among all NL clubs.
Bote finally out of purgatory? Need to spark the offense. Any way they can.
He was paid well in Purgatory!
How can you not be romantic about baseball
Man, that was the Alec Bohm draft. I remember there was a lot of talk about the Madrigal “hit tool” that would get him to the majors quickly.
Low K rate, good walk #’s, pitch recognition and gap type power etc etc And I bought into it 110%…..whew.
When they drafted Bohm, I was like damn. Oops.
Hope Madrigal can stay healthy and turn it around?
Just goes to show that the draft is a 100% crap shoot, no matter how hyped the prospect is. And a lot of the times it really just depends on the situation with the franchise that picks them. What I mean is that I believe certain guys would have been more successful if they were with different teams that played more to their natural skill set.
Nick Senzel is one example. If he was with a team from the start that needed an infielder instead of being on the Reds that pushed him to the outfield, I believe he would have been better off. Not to say that it is a guarantee of success or anything, but when trying to learn to hit at the major league level, it is easier to not be learning a new position at the same time.
lol at “the draft is a 100% crap shoot”
Do the Cubs have any interest in Torres and Rizzo? If so, let’s make a deal.
At this point, I would say probably not,neither would be upgrades.
The Nick Senzel apologists need to stop. Players move positions all the time. Nick’s just proven to be injury prone. This year, he’s only played 3B and DH and he’s having another mediocre year.
Players don’t move from 3b to centerfield all the time. They usually move down the defensive spectrum not up. Why? Well you can figure it out….
Just because it happens all the time is not a good excuse for doing it. Drivers speed all the time, but I doubt that excuse will work the next time you get pulled over for driving too fast.
The kid was ruined by his injuries from playing the OF. Most of those injuries would not have happened if he was in the infield. When you invest the #2 overall pick in someone, you should do your best to give them every opportunity to succeed. Not wedge them in like they a minor league free agent.
Senzel got injured the first game of the year this year taking grounders at third in pregame. He’s also had vertigo while in the minors. Some people are just more injury prone than others. I’m a fan of Senzels, but I don’t think the Reds are the cause of his struggles.
Sure he’s injury prone NOW he wasn’t back when the Reds first drafted him. I saw it dude they ruined that guy. Had him playing center where he had no business playing.
Yes Senzel was basically ruined by the Reds. He’s a 3b they had tons of 3b but they drafted him anyways. They put him at other positions and he kept getting hurt. No he wasn’t guaranteed to succeed but all those injuries certainly decreased his chances of being successful.
Since the draft, the two players have been close enough in value that it doesn’t matter.
When the Cubs traded for Madrigal, so many people told me how he was the lead off hitter of the future and Nico was expendable. Nico, to me, always looked like the better player but I still like Nicky. He needs to get back to hitting line drives and keeping it off the ground. Best thing for him is to learn to drive the high fastball, if he can, he will be that weapon everyone saw early in his career.
Injury to Madrigal was tragic. he looked like he could be great. Never got back to his excellent start with SOX
Wasn’t nick supposed to be a good major leaguer
He still can be. I imagine the Cubs are going to plant Bote at third, Morel to DH while they look for a trade partner.
Idk if the cubs will be willing to make morel, their up and comer that isn’t paralyzed like many 1B/DH types, a full time DH and take away experience from him in the field
Morel has been awful in the field. Odds are he will DH play the super utility role but playing the field will be hard to find.
Also, Cubs line up today, Bote 3rd, ‘Morel dh. Morel may even find himself a trade candidate if the Cubs can find a permanent solution at third, pushing Bellinger to first, Busch primarily DH and PCA roaming center.
I thought Morel Mushroom waas an adequate Outfielder!
The guy had a sub-.150 ISO with aluminum bats. He had “noodle bat” written all over him. Unfortunately, the White Sox seem to be allergic to guys who can actually hit the ball over 200 feet.
Not sure why this hasn’t happened before now, Madrigal has played a decent 3rd but when & Dansby we’re hurt he butchered 2nd base, when comes to hitting he is even bad @ small ball stuff that little guys have to be able to execute.
Not a Cub fan but never I understood Bote being in minors. Always seemed like a solid bench guy who could play several positions. Has a lot more pop than Madrigal. Is his defense bad. I never thought it was that bad
Because the Cubs needed the 40 man roster spot. He was never called up before because he has no options and would require the Cubs to expose him to waivers again if they sent him down. He’s been cooling his heels in AAA just in case the Cubs needed him for a Hail Mary…
Yes, they needed the 40 man roster spot, though Bote does have an option year left. He needs about three months service time to make it to five years where he can veto an option.
Didn’t his salary also not contribute to the luxury tax being off the 40-man? This must mean they plan to blow past the 1st threshold that his $3M doesn’t impact their decisions. That’s the equivalent of 2 Daniel Descalsos afterall!!!
No, his salary counted. The only way it wouldn’t count is if he is outrighted again and he declared free agency. He still needs five years of service time in order to pocket the rest of his contract. Or another team picks him up during his time on the DFA list.
But since he has a buyout coming up, I doubt either one happening.
You’re both wrong. Bote has counted for Luxury Tax purposes for the whole term of his contract whether he was on the 40 man or not. This is the last year of the deal so after this year he’s off the books. If nobody claims him if the Cubs DFA they would only have to to pay the league minimum if the Cubs release him. If they claim him off waivers they would have to pick up the remaining portion of his deal which would probably be around 2.5 million or so.
Guaranteed money, whether in the Bigs or Minors. I agree he is a ML player. What do they have against him? You guys tell me!
It’s not that ‘they’ didn’t like Bote. It’s just that Bote didn’t bring anything special to the table. He was a career backup IFer.
And his upside wasn’t apparent, as opposed to seeing what others could bring.
It was an example of Theos way of just throwing money at things.
Who needs Rizzo and Bryant?…We got Bote!!!
Bote = Championship!
With Bote back and CC at the helm, what could go wrong?
You can have Bryant back if you want. Signed a Rockies fan.
Obvious White Sox fan.
I wish we had Maddon back!
IIn front of your eyes. No hit and over management. Take it from me A Brewer fan! CC is a good Manager, but I always felt he was barely in the top ten! You guys overpaid for good!
Well it’s not exactly the NEW blood I was looking for but it is different anyway. Hopefully there are other moves coming sooner rather than later.
I want the Cubs to deal for McMahon, maybe send Smyly over and get Freeland included in the deal to lessen the return while still staying under the luxury tax. The Cubs have the prospect depth to get it done. I know the Rockies said they were not dealing him but Soto wasn’t going to be traded either… the Rockies also were not trading Arenado. It’s three years, deal Shaw if you must.
I just want them to identify who will be here in the future and who won’t. Like I said in the Teheran article there are guys who have mostly floundered for the last couple of years and they need to be DFA’d and moved out and people in the Minors who need to be moved up. It seems like they’re finally starting to do it. Really never understood why they keep signing guys like Straily and Teheran to take innings away from guys who need them anyway. It’s time for the DFA train to start rolling again and let’s see who will or won’t be here in the future and who are trade chips.
As for McMahon he’s just another teams Madrigal. A guy who supposedly had a shot to be good but was always injured or bad. I don’t want another teams garbage, I want more deals like the one for Busch. It may or may not work out in the long run but identify who you’re keeping then use the rest to take a chance on somebody who MIGHT be good. Sooner or later you’re going to have to do it anyway. Shaw, Triantos, Christian Hernandez are all the same guys. Pick one and move the rest. Get rid of guys like Roederer, Strumpf, Davis and Hill. Guys who will never play here. Guys that have been passed by.
I don’t think they take away innings vs help manage innings and give the Cubs an emergency call up. Typically I think teams like having guys like this to show the younger players/mentor the younger players. Here’s this guy who’s made millions and still have the burning desire to play so much he’s willing to ride the bus, just like all of you.
I really do think the Cubs should push hard for McMahon and Miller. Both are long term solutions, if they can get deals done, of course, deals would hurt but I’m fine with that. Both those guys would put the Cubs in competition for several years.
Apparently you don’t know who Ryan McMahon is because he’s 3 straight years of 3+ WAR, 150 plus games, an elite defender with solid power. He’s Arenado with a touch less power. FAR from another teams garbage.
If they need their innings managed then they’re not really starter material then. Keep pitching them 75 pitches forever and that’s what you get guys who pitch 4 innings and tax the bullpen. Then just go to a 6 man rotation and give them extra rest and maybe they’ll be better off. I think the time for the 6 man rotation might be here anyway. Automated strike zone, 6 man rotation, 27 man roster are ideas tat need discussing with the pitch clock maybe causing injuries or not IDK. There wasn’t enough data collected to make that rule change anyway. Pitchers are dropping like flies.
We can argue all day about what McMahon will or won’t be when you take him out of Coors for half his games. If he’s so good why would they deal him? Exactly, They wouldn’t. He’s not exactly a young up and comer anymore. Not the kind of guy I’d be looking for anyway. But we’ll see. Would he help? Sure. Would he be worth the price? I doubt it.
Mike, every organization is not wrong and every organization manages pitches, inning and usage
If every organization isn’t wrong, Why is every organization having the same problem? Teaching guys to throw 75 sliders 95 MPH every 20 seconds can’t really be all that awesome for a guys arm. Try teaching them a decent change up instead of a sweeper and see how much better their arms feel. It could be Kyle Hendricks single most important contribution to the organization if he could teach it to all the Cubs pitchers as a roving instructor.
.302/.374/.500 is what he is currently is away from Coors.
A change up is thrown with the same effort as a fastball with the different being the grip so I don’t think it will help all that much.
Change ups, curve balls, sliders, sweepers etc are all thrown with the same effort as a fastball with the only difference being grip.
There are a lot of other things to consider when looking at pitchers health, one of which is gripping the ball extremely hard in hopes to increase rotation, but also hydration, stretching, usage, etc.
AAA really isn’t much different from spring training, guys work on pitches and work on pitch counts. If a guy gets pulled early, they hit the bullpen to finish up their work for the day. Veterans are not stealing innings/pitches/work from prospects. The only argument to be made is roster spot give that the league reduced minor league roster spots.
Pitchers always drop like flies. It just is what it is. A lot has to do with usage prior to ever being drafted with travel leagues burning up pitchers arms.
I do agree with a six man rotation, I think MLB should add a roster spot for pitchers so teams can adapt a six man.
I personally think the travel schedule has more to do with pitcher injuries than the pitch clock but I do also think pitchers should be allowed to call time if they feel like they need a moment.
Good idea!
Why the heck is David Bote on this roster??
Why not? A promotion then a DFA and hopefully somebody picks him up. If he hits then he can stay. Still not sure why he didn’t take Wisdom’s place but hopefully he’s gone soon too. Next……..
ONLY because he’s more valuable than Madrigal. Both can go as far as I’m concerned.
The Cubs lineup isn’t too impressive. They really need a big bat in the middle of the order. They have some nice players but they need some offensive star power.
You got the names; they just have to startpopping out Home Runs!
I like Bote. Let’s see what he can do this time around. Might even be a showcase for a possible trade.
For what exactly? At best some loose change for Rickett’s pocket.
“a Cubs team that has struggled badly in the bullpen, as their relievers have combined for a 4.53 ERA that’s better than only the lowly Rockies among all NL clubs.”
If only they had someone like the Padres’ Jeremiah Estrada.
You identified the number one issue bullpen with Cubs. . Starters are good!
McMahon is good but the Rockies do not believe in rebuilds. They would want Caissie or Alcantara even if they did. Not going to happen.
ONKC is definitely on the cubs short list of untouchables. Honestly he’s probably ready for the Show. He would take over for Seiya who could DH. Jed acquiring Owen Caissie flew so far unsee the radar. Jed has done alot of great things as the gm/PoBO, but the players he got for the world series core and others has been great. From onkc to Kevin Alcantara, Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown. I’m not even sure of David Robinson still plays.
David Robertson, not Robinson, pitches for the Rangers but he wasn’t part of the core that won the World Series.
I thought the Cubs should have brought Robertson back but not for what the Rangers signed him for which was 11 something million if I recall.
Neither was Wesneski for that matter. Wesneski was landed for Efross.
Baez and Willams got us PCA
Rizzo Alcantara and a another highly regarded pitching prospect that refused to play for the Cubs
Bryant Canario and Killian.
Darvish landed Caissie, Caissie is not major league ready, close but probably needs more than the rest of the year in AAA to get his pitch recognition/swing and miss under control.
Yeah sorry. Probably a typo. It doesn’t matter if he wasn’t part of the WS core. The point is for a small market gm he brought back a ton of young talent. The cubs need to roll the dice and let the kids play. It was a big mistake giving happ a ntc. I like him but he’s not a superstar caliber player that earned that right to get it. Luckily he’s warming up a little bit.
All NTCs do is give a player a bit more control as to where they are going or their agents negotiate a reassignment bonus. If Caissie earns a spot on the major league roster, neither Happ or Suzuki will stop him.
The Cubs scouting department has done a remarkable job with their farm system. Wicks, Brown, PCA and Busch all lost their “prospect” status and yet the Cubs still have 7 top 100 prospects on the MLB pipeline list and still have guys nibbling around the edges of the top 100 list. Sad part is, if the Cubs do not right the ship quickly, they could be adding to that prospect depth this trade deadline.
I know what having NTC does. And Happ has not earned the right to get one.
Hope your prospects do better than the Bunch of ones Detroit had a few years ago. They did not work out either! BTW did you guys see Slower pitch 3 scoreless innings in relieve today!
Tough break for Nicky two outs. Guess he’ll have to run into outs for Iowa now
Nick doesn’t have the knack
It’s Nicky Two Strikes. If you’re gonna trash talk about a player at least get his nickname right.
I’m sure that you butchered his name on purpose.
Shake shake shake, shake your Bote