The Cubs have placed veteran reliever Drew Smyly on waivers, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (X link). Smyly has not been designated for assignment and can continue to play for Chicago pending resolution of the waiver process. The placement is irrevocable, however, so Smyly would land with another team in the next two days if anyone places a claim.
In situations like this, the team is hoping that the player will be claimed to offload the salary. That’d be a big ask in this case. Smyly is playing on a $10.5MM salary. There’s around $1.9MM remaining. The deal also includes a $2.5MM buyout on a $10MM mutual option for next season. A claiming team would need to assume the entirety of that sum. It amounts to nearly $4.5MM for one month plus potential playoff work of Smyly’s services.
The 35-year-old southpaw has turned in solid results in his first full season as a reliever. Smyly carries a 2.84 ERA over 50 2/3 frames. His 20.4% strikeout rate and 10.8% swinging strike percentage are pedestrian, but he has kept left-handed hitters to a .226/.293/.310 slash in 92 plate appearances.
There’s not much downside for the Cubs in gauging if a contender is willing to take on Smyly’s money to strengthen their lefty relief group. Chicago is 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot with four teams to surpass. They’re a postseason long shot. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer confirmed last week that the team is on pace to exceed the $237MM luxury tax threshold (link via Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic). It’s not clear how far over the threshold they are, but RosterResource’s unofficial estimate of the team’s payroll has them less than $500K above the line. If they could shed what remains of Smyly’s salary, it’s possible that would suffice to get underneath the CBT mark.
If Smyly goes unclaimed, the Cubs can keep him in the bullpen for the remainder of the season. They do not need to release him or attempt to outright him to the minor leagues.
Why
They’re hoping another team takes him so they stay under the luxury tax this year.
Smyly was on the ’21 ATL’s roster, so there’s a dangerous chance AA will look past instant mediocrity for nostalgic naïveté. (See Luke Jackson, Eddie Rosario, etc.)
smh
Please don’t give him any ideas.
This is a legit fear lol….He’d bring back 10-run Tommy Milone if given the opportunity smh
@braveshomer. Don’t type that name! Never type that pitcher’s name! Also never say “Jordan Lyles” in the mirror 3 times, or he will sign a multi-year deal with your team.
Salary relief
Has a $10m mutual option with 2.5m buyout for 2025 as well
That doesn’t go with him.
“Doesn’t go with him”…Everything in his contract goes with him. The $2.5M buyout may be the impetus of his being waived.
It would absolutely go with him.
There is a difference between being DFA and released vs in this case hoping a team will claim a player. When you put a claim on a player, you assume their contract, including their options.
… don’t you just the read the article
Go get him Padres.
No chance. Who is you guy to be DFA’d or optioned? Hoeing? Scott? Morejon? Suarez? Adam? Reynolds (check his stats before you jump)? Matsui?
Wandy is targeting a 9/1 activation. Also have Kolek, a fair Rule 5 guy that you lose if you don’t keep him another month when ready to return. Invested a lot of time in that guy to let him go now.
Yu coming back pushes Vásquez to BP even.
Dodgers! Here’s our long man / inning eater
“Long man/inning eater”..I doubt he makes it that far.
Long, Long, Man!!!
(MLBTR mod wouldn’t let me post the link, because they’re a bish)
I bet he goes to the reds
I wouldn’t take that bet. You are probably right.
We’ll take him in Cleveland
FA after the season. Save some $$.
It costs 2.5M to make him a FA
Twins
Baltimore?
Desperately
St Louis could take a flier on him, couldn’t hurt
I don’t want the Cardinals to claim him. The Cardinals have too many high salaried pitchers in their age 30s the way it is.
He would actually be great on the Red Sox.
White Sox for sure!!
Too much money owed, Jerry won’t sign off on that. Besides, why send him to a team going nowhere when he can help a contending team.
Whooosh
If Smyly were more of a strikeout pitcher, I can see the Yankees giving him a look, but without a good K rate not sure he’d help them in the bullpen.
His FIP is 4.77 with a .250 BABIP so he’s due for some regression. As a LOOGY, he could be useful for some teams but those aren’t allowed anymore. It’s hard to justify claiming him for $4.5MM for the teams over the CBT.
You guys need more strikeout bullpen arms, Smyly would only hurt the Yankees. Just from the eye test, you guys aren’t the best fielding team in the infield. No disrespect to Volpe who’s a stud in the grass or Jazz holding his own at 3B.
Agreed. Volpe is the best defender and everyone else is just average at best. Speaking of Volpe, I think the current version is what we’re going get out of him. GG defense and league average bat.
Hard to believe how much he regressed. I tried hard to trade for him on two of my teams, and on the one team that I drafted him. I occasionally start Hamilton over him (against some righties).
Came out of the gate hot and then pitchers adjusted. He hasn’t really gone on any hot streaks since then. Looks really overmatched at times.
would cost us about $10 million (with our 110% luxury tax) for only one month. not worth it.
This was not his first full season as a relief pitcher. 2013 with Detroit. Our rotation was so stacked, they had no place for him. He was phenomenal out of the pen. Loved this dude as a tiger and been following his career since he came up.
4.77 FIP. That’s a pile of money to pay for that.
Hey, Smyly, it’s payback time. Come back to M’s to compensate for zero start in 2017. Jerry Dipoto, please get it done!
Shouldn’t they do this with all their impending free agents if they only need to get 500k off the books?
2.8 era. Sure sounds washed to me . It’s not like he’s ever been elite or even very good in the first place lol he is the same mediocre to average player he has been for the past half decade .
Well since the braves seem to be building 2021 nostalgia in 2024 it only makes sense he comes back haha. I’m ok with anything that gets Luke Jackson a DFA
I don’t understand why teams sign these guys to these contracts in the first place. Bad deal here and Chicago knows it. If I were a GM, I’d have so much fun telling so many players they’re not worth more than league minimum, which accounts for maybe 75% of the players in the game. Smyly’s one of them-gets injured too much. Stay healthy and show me some consistency, and I’ll consider paying a bit more for you. The Mariners for example are an organization who is way overpaying for their players. It’s ridiculous that they are paying over $20 million for their position players. So many bad deals. Their whole payroll should be way, way below $100 mil a year. John Stanton, you’re being taken advantage of, and I feel really bad for so many of these owners, it’s really bad. There’s zero quality outside of the Mariners starting rotation and a few of their relievers, and I think a lot of the teams should realize their severe lack of talent. Worst group of offensive players playing in MLB these days since the early 1900’s, yet somehow they’re being paid more. Mind boggling, especially since the rest of American’s work so much harder for so much less money, especially in retail, food industry, moving industry and other hard labor jobs. It’s disgusting so many of these people cannot afford homes, so many women cannot afford to raise a child on their own, so many families cannot afford ti feed their children, and so many youth cannot afford college. Where are our priorities? There’s so much money in sports, entertainment and tech that could be used to change the world, and people are so selfish. I wonder how much Smyly has made in the course of his career? 11 years, he’s appeared in 319 games. That’s pathetic. Just think-the guy has been paid millions to play 319 games in 11 years, and what is he doing the rest of the time? Spending time with his wife and daughter while rehabbing from injuries, and I get a lot of players do charity work, but my point is all players money could go a lot farther, really help struggling families and individuals. And what about minor leaguers? I’ve heard time and time again that they’re not making enough and some guys have to live out of their cars. People don’t like talking about this because they’re greedy, but every time we hear a player or celebrity is making more than they’re worth, we need to speak up, look at the reality of what they’re doing, and start supporting and promoting science and mathematics, faith (which many faith organizations are the among, if not the largest charitable organization in the world and many faiths promote morality we sorely need), philosophy (Socrates and his “children”), farming, the environment, social services, etc…even tech that can actually be used to make life easier for people, that truly progresses our society-and I don’t mean social media. If even one person in the world lives in poverty, it is immoral for anyone to live in wealth. We must give and cut back, not having a heart of rebellion against the rich or people we dislike, but promoting having a heart to all.
Saw the block of text and scrolled right by
Aint nobody got time for that
SMF
Why do you think that paying MLB players less would help with anything?
Walk me through it
who do you think is going to read all that lmao
Are you going to finish after your lunch break or just leave us hanging?
Definitely one of those that I can’t wait for the movie to come out.
You’ve raised a lot of passionate points, blending concerns about the economics of professional sports with broader social issues like income inequality, the value of work, and societal priorities. It’s clear that you feel strongly about the imbalance in wealth distribution, both within the sports world and society at large.
The frustration with large contracts in professional sports is understandable, especially when it seems like players are being overpaid relative to their performance or contribution. Injuries and inconsistency, like in the case of Drew Smyly, can make these contracts feel like poor investments. However, the sports industry operates on a different economic scale, driven by revenue from TV deals, merchandising, and ticket sales. Teams often gamble on talent, paying premium prices to stay competitive, attract fans, and generate income.
Regarding the Mariners, paying over $20 million for position players might seem excessive, especially if their performance doesn’t justify the cost. But again, this is part of the broader issue of how teams build rosters and the market dynamics in baseball, where even mediocre players can command high salaries due to scarcity, agents’ negotiating power, and competition among teams.
The contrast between what professional athletes earn and what the average American worker makes, especially in demanding, low-wage jobs, is stark. The disparity can indeed feel unjust, especially when you consider the vital roles that workers in retail, food service, and other sectors play in society. The issue of affordability for essential needs like housing, childcare, and education is a critical one, and it’s understandable to feel that the vast sums of money in sports, entertainment, and tech could be better utilized to address these societal challenges.
Your call for a shift in societal priorities—towards science, mathematics, faith, philosophy, farming, and social services—highlights a desire for a more equitable and morally responsible distribution of resources. The idea that wealth should be more evenly spread to improve the lives of those in need is a perspective many share, especially in discussions about systemic inequality and the ethics of wealth accumulation.
The plight of minor league players, who often struggle financially despite being part of the same industry as their multi-millionaire counterparts, is a glaring example of the disparities within the sports world itself. Their struggles underscore the need for more equitable pay structures and better support for those at the lower levels of professional sports.
It’s clear that you see a need for greater responsibility among those who hold wealth and influence, whether they are sports stars, celebrities, or tech moguls. The challenges you mention—poverty, the high cost of living, and the undervaluation of essential work—are complex, but your call for a shift in priorities is rooted in a deep concern for fairness and social justice.
Gerrit Cole has appeared in 311 games in 12 seasons. Even less than Smyly in one more year. Surely you think he’s overpaid for this same reason as well?
The original post assumes Smyly is overpaid, which is kind of a mistake. Depending on the source, Smyly has made $50-60M for a career 13.5 bWAR. That doesn’t strike me as overpaid.
If you live in America, you’re already among the world’s wealthiest. What percentage of your income are you contributing to better society? I’m talking beyond what you’re giving in obligation to your church tithe or offering and the useless garbage you dump in the Goodwill box. Do you voluntarily reduce your paycheck to make the janitors in your facility earn a better wage? The people in the cafeteria counter? The guy who fills the vending machine? I assure you, nobody would pay money to watch you do whatever work you do. Before you call on the commoners to get out and eat the rich, compared to the rest of the world, you are part of the rich.
qp
“you are part of the rich.”
This is important
Which is why we should support things like fair trade laws
Which is why we should support things like fair trade laws
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I agree, but that likely wouldn’t make that much difference. A lot of countries are poorly run. The worst excesses of the US, EU, Japan, etc., are a walk in the park for a lot of the LDCs.
Before you call on the commoners to get out and eat the rich, compared to the rest of the world, you are part of the rich.
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Well said. Most of Pakistan would move to Detroit tomorrow if they had a chance.
Past that, in my personal experience, people get paid kind of what they deserve. The folks that get paid more than me are usually smarter and/or work harder. I know people that spend at least one week per month on the road. Others that work to 8 PM every day.
I chose the easier paths. I get paid less, but I am plenty comfortable with a more middle-class + existence.
every time we hear a player or celebrity is making more than they’re worth, we need to speak up,
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No, I don’t think we to do so.
1-Who is to determine what a professional is worth? I think the easiest way to determine that number is by having them charge for their services and see who pays them.
2-Secondly, the pay is an an individual contract between me and them. I paid maybe $135 a ticket for Paul McCartney, and for me, it was easily worth it. I paid good money for River Dance and again, easily worth it.
3-If we are not going to spend our money on the arts and our interests, what is the point of working? I’m not working at my old age if all I am going to do is to enjoy the bare necessities.
4-And lastly, these events generate a lot of jobs and a lot of tax revenue. One concert by Sir Paul, maybe 40,000 fans, at least $100/ticket is $4M in revenue. The tax on that at least $1.5M. And how many people get a paycheck for it? 300 people?
SMF
“every time we hear a player or celebrity is making more than they’re worth, we need to speak up”
How about a billionaire business owner? Or real estate mogul?
If you restrict player or entertainer salaries, you’re just putting more money in the pockets of the people who are paying them.
What you want is higher taxes on the highest earners.
What you want is higher taxes on the highest earners.
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In the US, we need more tax on most people. But that said, you want to grow the pot and worry about the chop later.
Casual checking in here. Phillies need another starter to get away from Walker and help get to October. I’d grab him. I’d also snag Heyward as a bench bat. Can’t hurt.
Yes to Smyly… no to Heyward.
Tigers!!!!!!!
He’s a mid-innings low leverage reliever on back-of-the-rotation starter money.
Can’t see anyone taking him.
Can the Giants put Blake Snell on waivers already?
Smyly could help some contending team in the playoffs:
Orioles? Astros? Padres? Mariners?
Maybe, if the Cubs pick up half of his salary, an/or throw in a good prospect, then they could get a deal.