The Cubs announced that they designated left-hander Jeff Beliveau for assignment. The move creates roster space for Ian Stewart, whose one-year deal became official today.
Beliveau, 25, made his MLB debut this past season, appearing in 22 games. He posted a 4.58 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 6.1 BB/9 in 17 2/3 innings. The Cubs originally selected Beliveau in the 18th round of the 2008 draft.
The Tigers announced that they have agreed to sign free agent right-hander Anibal Sanchez to a five-year contract that includes a 2018 club option. The deal is valued at $80MM according to, Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who first reported the deal (on Twitter).
“Anibal pitched tremendously for us down the stretch and during the post-season,” Tigers president and GM Dave Dombrowski said. “He strengthens our starting rotation and we are pleased to have him back with the Tigers organization.”
Agent Gene Mato represents Sanchez, who agrees to terms with Detroit after coming close to a deal with the Cubs. Cubs ownership and Theo Epstein offered Sanchez a $77MM contract in Miami last week, but the Tigers jumped in and won the bidding, Nightengale reports (on Twitter). The Red Sox also talked to Sanchez, but didn't go as high as $80MM, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
Acquired from Miami in a midseason trade, Sanchez struggled upon arriving in Detroit but pitched well in September and in the postseason. The five-year preserves the Tigers' formidable rotation. Led by Justin Verlander, the group also includes Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Rick Porcello and Drew Smyly. It's possible Porcello will become a trade candidate once the Tigers complete their deal with Sanchez; the 23-year-old has already drawn interest from a number of National League teams.
Sanchez posted a 3.86 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 46.4% ground ball rate in 195 2/3 regular season innings this past season. The 28-year-old also started three playoff games for Detroit, posting a 1.77 ERA in 20 1/3 postseason innings. His average fastball checks in just shy of 92 mph and he generates swings and misses on approximately one in ten offerings, according to FanGraphs.
The Red Sox signed Sanchez as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2001 then, four years later, they traded him and Hanley Ramirez to the Marlins in the deal that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston. The Tigers acquired Sanchez and Omar Infante from Miami in a trade this past July.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes ranked Sanchez fourth among free agents, and second among pitchers behind only Zack Greinke. Sanchez would not have been linked to draft pick compensation if he had signed elsewhere, since he was traded midseason.
As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows, Sanchez's deal exceeds C.J. Wilson's five-year, $77.5MM contract and falls just shy of the five-year, $82.5MM contracts signed by John Lackey and A.J. Burnett.
Edwin Jackson, Kyle Lohse and Shaun Marcum are among the top remaining free agent starters, as MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker shows.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Happy birthday to Cubs great Fergie Jenkins, who was born 70 years ago today in Chatham, Ontario. The 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner won 167 games in 10 years with the Cubs and wore the red 'C' into the Hall of Fame when he was inducted in 1991.
Here are some items from Chicago and elsewhere around both the AL and NL Central divisions…
The Cubs are in serious discussions with Anibal Sanchez on what could be a five-year, $75MM contract, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. The Tigers are also "still a threat" to re-sign the free agent right-hander.
8:16am: The Cubs are out on Sanchez and the Tigers look like they'll win the bidding for him, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). Heyman suggests that the Tigers are positioned to sign Sanchez, barring a last-minute mystery team.
FRIDAY, 8:03am: The Cubs have increased their offer to $77.5MM, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Tigers have offered the right-hander $75MM.
THURSDAY, 10:45pm: Sanchez won't make a decision tonight and will continue talking with both the Cubs and Tigers tomorrow, reports Bob Nightengale (via Twitter).
6:10pm: If the Tigers do top the Cubs' offer, USA Today's Bob Nightengale says Sanchez will sign with Detroit, thus seemingly shutting the Cubs out of a chance to counter. The Tigers had offered a four-year contract to Sanchez, Nightengale says, and CBS Sports' Danny Knobler adds that Detroit was believed to be hesitant to go to five years for Sanchez (both Twitter links).
5:57pm: The Tigers are being given a "last chance" to match the Cubs' offer, reports Bob Nightengale. The Cubs thought they had a done deal with Sanchez.
5:08pm: The deal is not yet complete, as Sanchez's agent Gene Mato tells CBS Sports' Jon Heyman that he is still talking to other teams. Sources tell Heyman that the Tigers are still "very much in [the] mix." (both links to Twitter)
4:50pm: The Cubs have given their rebuilding process a major boost by agreeing to sign free agent right-hander Anibal Sanchez to a five-year contract, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The deal could be worth $75MM, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who said earlier today that the two sides were close to an agreement. The contract will become official once Sanchez passes a physical. Sanchez is represented by Mato Sports Management.
The signing is a surprise given that the Cubs were thought to be at least a year away from pursuing big-ticket free agents, instead signing such low-cost/high-upside pitchers as Scott Baker and Scott Feldman and signing Japanese closer Kyuji Fujikawa this winter. Yet, it was Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and company who outbid five other teams (including the Tigers) for Sanchez's services, according to Nightengale (Twitter link). Sanchez, 28, is young enough to be a key rotation piece for the next contending Cubs team, and Chicago now has an ace atop what looks like a very solid rotation that also includes Matt Garza, Jeff Samardzija, Travis Wood and one of Baker or Feldman.
Sanchez was ranked as the fourth-best free agent available by MLBTR's Tim Dierkes, and the second-best pitcher behind only Zack Greinke. The righty has posted a 3.70 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 rate, a 2.89 K/BB ratio and an average of 196 innings over the last three seasons with the Marlins and Tigers, also pitching very well in three postseason starts for Detroit last October.
This post was first published on December 13th, 2012.
Here are some rumors from ESPN.com's baseball writers, starting with a note from Buster Olney (all links go to Twitter)…
Since winning the NL Central in 2008, the Cubs have seen their win total decrease every year. Here's the latest on the Cubs as they seek to improve on their 2012 mark of 61-101…
The Cubs have agreed to sign South Korean right-handed reliever Chang-Yong Lim, reports Yonhap News. The split contract is worth up to $5MM at the big league level, and it includes an interpreter and a personal trainer.
"I am happy that my dream has finally come true," said Lim to reporters. "I am not getting any younger, and it's great to have the chance to experience something I never have before. I am going to tackle this challenge head on."
Lim, 36, is currently rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery, and the Cubs don't expect him back until 2014. Roughly a half-dozen clubs made contract offers, including the Red Sox and Rangers. Lim had been with the Yakult Swallows in Japan since 2008 after spending several years with the Samsung Lions in South Korea. He pitched to a 2.09 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 128 saves during his time with Yakult.
Lim was posted for MLB teams by the Lions back in 2002, but the winning bid of only $650K was rejected.
The Cubs have claimed right-hander Sandy Rosario off waivers from the Red Sox, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter). As our Transaction Tracker shows, it's the third time the right-hander has been claimed off waivers this winter.
Rosario, 27, pitched in four games for this year's Marlins team, but spent most of the season in the minor leagues. He posted a 1.99 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 31 2/3 total innings for three of the Marlins' minor league affiliates.
On the most recent edition of the Rosters & Rumblings podcast, MLBTR’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts discussed the Rays–Royals trade, Zack Greinke’s deal with the Dodgers and the most recent rumors from around MLB. Here's more from around baseball to cap off a busy Tuesday evening..
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