Spencer Turnbull was released from his minor league contract with the Cubs, as first reflected on the MiLB.com transaction log. Tommy Birch of The Des Moines Register reports that the righty triggered an opt-out clause.
Turnbull sets out for a new opportunity a few days before the postseason roster cutoff. He’ll need to sign with a new team, at least on a minor league contract, by September 1 in order to be eligible for the playoffs. Turnbull will be a free agent again at the beginning of the offseason. He’ll presumably look to catch on with a contender seeking pitching depth.
Chicago signed Turnbull shortly after the All-Star Break. He took the ball six times with Triple-A Iowa but was tattooed for 26 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings. He gave up at least five runs in each of his last three times out, including an eight-run appearance in 2 1/3 innings against the A’s affiliate on Wednesday. That obviously wasn’t going to get him on the radar for an MLB call, even for a Cubs team that placed Jameson Taillon back on the injured list yesterday.
Turnbull is making a prorated $1.265MM salary from the Blue Jays. He didn’t sign until early May after not finding a deal to his liking all winter. Toronto only gave him three big league appearances before cutting him loose. His terrible month in Iowa certainly hasn’t raised his stock. Still, Turnbull is only a year removed from pitching to a 2.65 ERA in 54 1/3 innings for the Phillies. He shouldn’t have an issue finding another minor league job — either to finish this season or going into next spring.
Mets or Braves?
Phillies or Texas Rangers?
Thank God. Never should have been signed in the first place. Took starts away from Noland and Sanders who are now having to start over now and a struggling. Morons.
In hindsight, it was a bad move, but at the time it was a reasonable gamble.
Turnbull had been a highly productive swingman as recently as last season. He looked bad with Toronto this season, but they rushed him because they needed an arm sooner then he was ready. It was reasonable to think that if he was given enough runway, he might be able to ramp up and get back to something closer to last year.
Clearly, that never happened, but I don’t think it was a bad idea to try a low cost gamble.
Also, Noland projects as career minor league depth and Sanders may eventually be a back of the rotation arm. If Turnbull had panned out, he would have been far more impactful then either of those guys is likely to be.
Uncle—really, do you just make up stuff in your mind and then type it and really believe it is true?
Turnbull didn’t make a start at Iowa until July 27th.
At that point Noland had already been backed off starts…he had five in June, TWO in July, and has three in August. Doesn’t appear that he lost any.
Sanders had three starts in June, four in July, and three in August with one upcoming. Again, doesn’t look like a cut back.
Perhaps maybe Taillon and Assad snagged a few starts there.
I really don’t think that Noland and Sanders have “to start over” because of Spencer Turnbull. There is no correlation between the two.
I’m guessing that they really don’t have “to start over at all”. They are middling prospects that obviously, with their pretty consistent usage, are in the developmental stage of their careers.
I’ve been railing at the way Hoyer sets up his minor League arms for years. Every POS somebody else sends to the waiver wire Hoyer has to have and then toss them in at Iowa instead of letting his own prospects play. Between Slugs like Romero, Maeda, Turnbull, Cosgrove and on and on and on. And yeah Tallion and Assad took a few but those you should EXPECT to need a place for. Babying these guys through the minors isn’t going to get them to make even relievers or starters and make them at the very least optionable arms when they are needed. And Sanders and Noland aren’t devoid of talent they were actually pretty good until the parade of crap was shuttled in front of them. Before Turnbull, Maeda and Cosgrove there was Romero, Woodford, Kriske, Peter Solomon plus a bunch more I never even SAW pitch. Not even counting the dumb trade of a good prospect traded to Cle for a bullpen arm of the best pen in baseball and he couldn’t even get a guy with 2 good arms. Signing Nicky Lopez 5 times, Can’t wrap my head around that one either. Obviously you’ve never seen them pitch or you would sound a little more knowledgeable at least.
Here’s the issue Uncle—you are really trying to tell us that Sanders and Noland are “right now” middling prospects BECAUSE OF Turnbull, Maeda, Cosgrove, etc.
They have nothing at all to do with the development of Sanders and Noland. The only two players that have anything to do with that are Sanders and Noland themselves.
These guys, all of them—I am sure have a very distinct plan—throw one day, run the next, lift the next, mound the next—or whatever order it may be.
I don’t need to be any more knowledgeable than they experts that firmly rank them as mid level prospects. i don’t care about pronation and supination or distance of release in front of the rubber. There are many people that paid to do that and many times they are wrong so no need for me to worry.
My point in this whole thing is that if Sanders and Noland have to “start over” it has NOTHING to do with Spencer Turnbull (or any of the other guys you listed).
They are both bums so that is ridiculous
And the Cubs version of his jersey sales had been so good. Now fans can at least get a discount in the team store.
Oh man, I can’t believe anyone will take a flyer on Spencer after that performance in Iowa. He really thinks someone is going to put him on their 40-man in hopes he can perform in the post season?
I predict he signs with Phils.
With Wheeler out, he can join an organization he’s familiar with and where he had his greatest success.
Not coming back to Detroit. To many bridges burnt for any type of reconciliation.
“Two” many
It’s a couple.
Two is too many.
He needs to make it back to the MLB…
How else will he go on IR with a mysterious injury while getting a big league salary?
When was the last time the cubbies had three straight singles no matter the situation to win a game?
When was the last time your mommy gave you your medicine?
@Bruce: I know you hate the Cubs, so it pains me a bit to praise you–but you are right. The Cubs’ remarkable inability to string together hits would be obvious in any case, but it is particularly obvious when compared to the Brewers’ almost supernatural ability to do same. It is surprising that the Cubs have won as many games as they have this season; they are not likely to win many more. As a Cubs fan, I am steeling myself for another epic dive.
I forgot this guy was even in the Cubs’ system.
Looks like Turnbull got triggered. Didn’t like being Sitting Bull
Padres should sign Turnbull.
Another great “project” for pitching coach Ruben Niebla
Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla (formerly Assistant pitching coach with the Guardians)
has an excellent track record @ “fixing pitchers” , bringing them back from injuries, helping pitchers make adjustments and getting pitching careers back on track.
Petco Park is a very good pitchers ballpark.
Padres also have outstanding defense that robs opposing players of hits and home runs that is a big help to pitchers.
Turnbull would also get a big leg up on winning a job either in the Padres rotation or bullpen for 2026, which is expected to have some openings due to free agents and trades when the season concludes(ground floor opportunity for next year).
Turnbull could sign a minor league deal as injury “insurance” for the end of this year and the playoffs also.
Missing Spring Training and signing late hurts another pitcher in the case of Turnbull and others.
Turnbull needed a good Spring Training.
But, he did not get a decent offer to sign.
Then, he signed late after Spring Training and has never had the proper preparation to get on track for 2025.
Teams signed him and then rushed him in 2025 before he was ready.
Tough year for Spencer.
Hope it works out for him!
All of that delay was his own fault. He just wouldn’t sign a minor league deal with an invite to Spring training. He wanted a major league deal which would allow him to get paid for floundering. He wanted the money more than he wanted to prove himself worthy of it.
I don’t think the Jays rushed him. They had to vis a vis his contract. Cubs also had obligations to him….which….he didn’t return to them.
The sad reality is he’s wasted his talent this year. Some GM will listen to the siren song of Scott Boras. Turnbull’s best talent is picking his agent.
These feels fairly accurate