The Cubs are in agreement with reliever Yacksel Ríos on a minor league deal, reports Francys Romero. The MAS+ Agency client had elected minor league free agency at the beginning of the offseason.
Ríos is a 32-year-old righty who has logged parts of six seasons in the majors. The Puerto Rico native got the majority of his work early in his career as a member of the Phillies. He saw more limited action with the Pirates, Mariners, Red Sox and Athletics between 2019-23. Ríos has spent the last two seasons in the Mets organization without getting a look at the MLB level.
That’s in large part due to health concerns. Ríos had a 3.30 ERA over 30 Triple-A innings in 2024 before suffering an injury towards the end of June. He missed the remainder of the season and essentially all of 2025. Ríos pitched in the low minors on a rehab assignment but didn’t make it back to Triple-A until the middle of September. He gave up four runs in his first appearance, then tossed a perfect frame with a strikeout to close his season.
Ríos owns a 6.32 ERA in a little less than 100 innings at the big league level. He has tossed 200 1/3 frames of 4.13 ERA ball with a 24.5% strikeout rate in his Triple-A career. Ríos averaged 97 MPH on his fastball during his brief Triple-A work last year. He’s unlikely to get serious consideration for an Opening Day job but should work as a hard-throwing depth piece for Triple-A Iowa.
Since they are up against the tax expect more of this. A lot of contracts expiring after this season. New agreement coming. No reason to cheap out for this season but it’s the Cubs.
New York Mets, $323,099,999
Los Angeles Dodgers, $321,287,291
New York Yankees, $293,488,972
Philadelphia Phillies, $284,210,820
Toronto Blue Jays, $239,642,532
Texas Rangers, $220,541,332
Houston Astros, $220,217,813
Atlanta Braves, $214,836,398
San Diego Padres, 208,909,333
Chicago Cubs, $196,288,250
Arizona Diamondbacks, $195,294,235
Boston Red Sox, $193,629,093
Los Angeles Angels, $190,508,096
San Francisco Giants, $173,019,524
Baltimore Orioles, $162,314,278
Seattle Mariners, $146,793,414
Detroit Tigers, $143,193,033
Minnesota Twins, $142,762,022
St. Louis Cardinals, $141,455,581
Kansas City Royals, $130,001,503
Colorado Rockies, $120,693,976
Cincinnati Reds, $115,466,833
Milwaukee Brewers, $115,136,227
Washington Nationals, $107,653,761
Cleveland Guardians, $100,522,729
Pittsburgh Pirates, $87,645,246
Chicago White Sox, $82,279,825
Tampa Bay Rays, $79,216,312
Athletics, $73,118,981
Miami Marlins, $67,412,619
Wow. Look at all those numbers. What’s the point?
Wow! Look at those loooow rates!
Plus it’s wrong, So there’s that.
Normally I’d agree. However, this was a rare good off-season by the brass and ownership without leveraging the future, while still spending in key areas. Only real loss was Caissie and a couple of lesser prospects. Let’s see what this group can do in 2026 and know that we’re in a great position to pounce once the dust settles on the new CBA (assuming no 2027 lockout)
Camp bodies…
Cubs always add a bunch of losers to keep their own pitchers innings down. The Cubs baby their young pitchers to excess and it’s a flaw IMO. Every year Hoyer does it, Why is everybody shocked now?