Headlines

  • Cardinals Trade Sonny Gray To Red Sox
  • Warren Schaeffer To Return As Rockies’ Manager In 2026
  • Rangers Trade Marcus Semien To Mets For Brandon Nimmo
  • Tigers Among Teams Interested In Ryan Helsley As Starting Pitcher
  • Rangers Non-Tender Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim
  • KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes Post Infielder Sung-mun Song
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cubs Rumors

Central Notes: O’Neill, Paddack, Madrigal

By Darragh McDonald | September 28, 2022 at 2:44pm CDT

Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill missed almost a month in the middle of this season, from mid-June to mid-July, due to a left hamstring strain. He went back on the IL September 17 due to the same injury, a left hamstring strain. At the time, it was reported as a Grade 1 strain, which is the less-serious variety. Regardless, over a week later, an O’Neill return doesn’t seem close.

Team president John Mozeliak was asked about the possibility of O’Neill returning in the postseason and had this to say, per Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest: “I think there’s a shot, but obviously the clock is ticking.” That doesn’t seem to indicate the Cards are banking on a return. The club has now clinched the NL Central but are seven games behind the Mets and Braves, who are tied atop the East, and even further behind the Dodgers. That means they are destined to play in the first round of the playoffs against whoever finishes with the third Wild Card spot. Each round that they survive will increase the chances of O’Neill coming back, but he wouldn’t be able to find a rehab stint with the minor league seasons winding down. Even if he’s healthy, the Cards would have to view a rusty O’Neill as a better option than their current outfielders in order for him to get a shot.

O’Neill had a career year last year by hitting 34 home runs and swiping 15 bases on his way to producing 5.6 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs. This year, various injuries have limited him to just 96 games and diminished production when on the field, with his .286/.352/.560 batting line from last year slipping to .228/.308/.392. Without him in the mix, the St. Louis outfield is currently composed of Lars Nootbaar, Dylan Carlson, Corey Dickerson, Juan Yepez, Alec Burleson and Ben DeLuzio.

More notes from the Central divisions…

  • Twins right-hander Chris Paddack underwent Tommy John surgery in May and is now targeting an August 2023 return, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. The surgery usually comes with a 12-18 month recovery window, but this is the second such procedure of Paddack’s career, having previously gone under the knife as a prospect in 2016. Paddack tells Park that the second recovery is going to take a bit longer, meaning the narrow end of the typical recovery window is closed. Since the best-case scenario involves Paddack missing the bulk of next year, the club will have to plan on building a rotation without him. He was just one of several Twins who missed significant time with injury this year, preventing them from hanging onto the AL Central lead that they held for a good chunk of the year. On paper, the 2023 rotation in Minnesota consists of Sonny Gray, who is sure to have his option exercised, alongside Tyler Mahle, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober for four slots. Kenta Maeda could be a factor for the fifth, though he’ll be an unknown quantity after missing all of this year recovering from his own Tommy John surgery of the internal brace variety. Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer both have options that are unlikely to be exercised, subtracting them from the equation. The club could look for outside help given the uncertainty around Maeda, though they will also have internal options like Josh Winder, Louie Varland, Cole Sands, Jordan Balazovic, Devin Smeltzer and Simeon Woods Richardson, with Paddack hopefully joining them down the stretch.
  • Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal is on the injured list and won’t be returning this season, manager David Ross tells Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Madrigal landed on the shelf September 10 due to a groin strain, his second groin-related trip to the IL this year. It’s the second straight injury-marred campaign for him, after he was limited to 54 games in 2021 and just 59 here in 2022. He hit .305/.349/.425 last year but saw that line dip to .249/.305/.282 in this campaign. He came into this season with one year and 164 days of MLB service time, meaning he’s a lock to reach arbitration as a Super Two player this winter, though he likely won’t earn a huge raise given all the time he’s missed. The Cubs aren’t likely to be competitive in 2023 but will still want to see Madrigal show better results in order to keep him in their plans going forward.
Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Minnesota Twins St. Louis Cardinals Chris Paddack Nick Madrigal Tyler O'Neill

73 comments

Cubs Designate Michael Hermosillo For Assignment

By Darragh McDonald | September 27, 2022 at 3:40pm CDT

The Cubs made a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game, with reporter Mark Gonzales among those who relayed them on Twitter. The club has reinstated catcher Willson Contreras from the injured list and Seiya Suzuki from the restricted list. Suzuki was previously on the paternity list but traveled to Japan and wasn’t able to return within the three-day maximum stint for paternity leave, which necessitated his transfer to the restricted list. In corresponding moves, infielder/outfielder Jared Young was optioned to the minors while outfielder Michael Hermosillo was designated for assignment.

Hermosillo, 27, was drafted by the Angels in 2013 and stayed with them through 2020. He reached free agency at that point and then signed a minor league deal with Chicago. Since joining the Cubs, he’s occasionally shown flashes of potential, mostly in the minors, but has also been frequently hurt. Last year, he hit .306/.446/.592 in 43 Triple-A games, producing a 178 wRC+ and getting called up to the majors in August. He then produced a line of .194/.237/.500 in 16 games before a left forearm strain ended his season.

He was non-tendered at the end of that year and re-signed for 2022. One month into the season, he landed on the IL due to a quad strain and ended up spending four months out of action. In 31 MLB games around that IL stint, he’s hit just .115/.250/.148. He fared better on his rehab assignment in the minors, hitting .324/.400/.559 in a small sample of 10 games, but wasn’t able to bring any of that up to the show. Since he’s out of options, the Cubs didn’t have the ability to simply send him down to the minors and have instead decided to cut him from the 40-man roster. With the trade deadline long gone, they will have no choice but to place him on outright or release waivers in the coming days. If he were to clear, he would have the ability to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency by virtue of having been previously outrighted in his career.

As for Contreras, he’s missed the past three weeks due to an ankle sprain but will return for the club’s final nine games, which could potentially be his last with the team. Since he is heading into free agency this winter and the Cubs were never in serious contention this year, he was widely expected to be flipped at the deadline. Surprisingly, that never happened and he will instead be given, and reject, a qualifying offer once the offseason begins. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently looked at the top catchers available in free agency this year, with Contreras at the top. Though the injury slowed him down, he’s still heading into the open market on the heels of an excellent season. He’s already hit 21 home runs and slashed .246/.351/.471, producing a 132 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR that are both career bests. He’ll have just over a week to add to those numbers and show that the injury is behind him before the season draws to a close.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Transactions Michael Hermosillo Willson Contreras

31 comments

Injury Notes: Carpenter, Larnach, Brault

By Steve Adams | September 27, 2022 at 8:46am CDT

Matt Carpenter was putting together a comeback season for the ages with the Yankees, hitting .305/.412/.727 with 15 home runs in 154 plate appearances before suffering a broken bone when fouling a ball into his foot. The foot fracture didn’t require surgery, but the timing of the injury placed Carpenter’s season in jeopardy. Manager Aaron Boone said yesterday that the Yankees are now hopeful that the 36-year-old Carpenter will be able to return for the final series of the regular season (Twitter link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). It’s not a given, but it’d be a nice bonus for both the Yankees and Carpenter himself to get a look at his swing in a game setting before the postseason rolls around.

A  couple more injury updates from around the game…

  • The Twins added another name to their ever-growing list of season-ending injuries, as outfielder Trevor Larnach will not return before the end of the 2022 season, per Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Larnach underwent core muscle surgery early in the summer and was all but finished with a rehab assignment last week, when he sustained a wrist injury during one of the final plate appearances of his rehab assignment. The 25-year-old tells Miller that he wasn’t even able to hold a bat the day after incurring the injury. Larnach got out to a solid start in 2022, hitting .258/.331/.477 with five homers and 13 doubles through his first 145 plate appearances. He collected just four hits in 35 plate appearances before undergoing surgery, however, and now won’t return to the field this year. Larnach and teammate Alex Kirilloff are both former first-rounders who’ve been touted among the game’s 50 best prospects at multiple points in the past, but injuries have prevented them from establishing themselves as lineup fixtures at Target Field.
  • Left-hander Steven Brault’s shoulder hasn’t responded as hoped during his minor league rehab assignment, Cubs skipper David Ross said yesterday (via Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, on Twitter). He’s headed back to Chicago to be further evaluated and won’t return to the mound this season. The longtime Pirates lefty originally inked a Major League deal with the Cubs in the offseason but had it restructured as a minor league contract due to an injury setback. The 30-year-old Brault didn’t pitch, even in the minors, until July 1 this season. He made his way to the big league roster two weeks later and tossed nine innings with a 3.00 ERA and an 8-to-5 K/BB ratio before a shoulder strain sent him back to the injured list in mid-August. Brault also missed significant time in 2019 due to a shoulder strain and missed much of the 2021 campaign due to a lat strain. Brault will be a free agent at season’s end.
Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Notes Matt Carpenter Steven Brault Trevor Larnach

20 comments

NL Notes: Cubs, Nationals, Marlins

By Maury Ahram | September 25, 2022 at 11:14am CDT

Chicago Cubs veteran starter Wade Miley left yesterday’s game with left oblique tightness after fielding a bunt, according to MLB.com. Miley, who will be 36 next season, has had a frustrating, injury-filled season. The southpaw started the season on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation and dealt with an additional left shoulder strain before being activated in early May. He would make three starts in May before being faced with injuries again, eventually being placed on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain in June.

The Cubs’ acquisition of Miley via waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason was rather noteworthy, as the lefty came with a $10MM salary for the 2022 season and the Cubs were not considered contenders entering the 2022 season. Miley was coming off a rather productive four-year stretch, posting a 3.53 ERA in 425 1/3 innings and making 81 starts, albeit with a low 18.0% strikeout rate and an average 8.1% walk rate. However, Miley ranked highly in his ability to miss bats; he was in the 95th percentile for Average Exit Velocity, 83rd percentile for HardHit%, 75th percentile for Barrel %, and 77th percentile for Chase Rate in the 2021 season. With the Cubs out of contention for the 2022 playoffs and Miley a free agent at the end of the season, the Cubs may decide to end his season early and give starts to players fighting to make the starting rotation in the spring.

Elsewhere in the National League:

  • The Cubs have been searching for Anthony Rizzo’s heir, and they might have found it, reports Patrick Mooney of the Athletic. First baseman Matt Mervis has had a remarkable 2022 season. Beginning in High-A South Bend, the 24-year-old mashed pitchers to the tune of .350/.389/.650 with a 1.039 OPS in 100 at-bats before being promoted to Double-A Tennessee. Mervis picked up right where he left off, slashing .300/.370/.596/.966 with 14 home runs in 203 at-bats, earning a promotion to Triple-A Iowa and continuing to punish pitchers, posting a .297/.387/.595 slash line for a .982 OPS with another 14 home runs in 195 at-bats. On the heels of this dominant showing throughout the Minors, Cubs manager David Ross has been rather coy on the Cubs’ plans for Mervis, stating that “there’s no doubt that he’ll have a great opportunity in front of him moving forward”  and that Mervis is “definitely on the radar.”
  • As Washington Nationals’ rookie pitcher Josiah Gray wraps up his 2022 season, the Nationals are keeping a close eye on his innings count and have hinted at the possibility of shutting him down early, as reported by MLB.com. Coming to the Nationals from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the Trea Turner and Max Scherzer trade in 2021, Gray has shown flashes of brilliance and growing pains. Cumulatively, Gray has pitched to 5.17 ERA (27 starts) in 142 2/3 innings with an above-average 24.2% strikeout rate and a high 10.4% walk rate. However, these numbers do not explain the whole story, with Gray posting a 1.13 ERA in June (24 innings) and only allowing 13 hits and 3 earned runs. However, in July, Gray pitched to a 6.75 ERA (26 2/3 innings), giving up 30 hits and 20 earned runs. With the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East, they may turn their focus to the 2023 season and give Gray an extended offseason in preparation for his age-25 season.
  • In other Nationals news, southpaw MacKenzie Gore, who was acquired in the Juan Soto and Josh Bell blockbuster at the trade deadline, is working back from his left elbow inflammation, according to MLB.com. Gore has been on the injured list since July 26 and is currently continuing his rehabilitation in Triple-A Rochester. The Nationals are hoping that the 23-year-old will make at least one big league start with the team before the end of the season, and plan to have him throw 75-plus pitches in his next rehab start.
  • The Miami Marlins’ rebuild has yet to bear any fruit, and the team may be adjusting its roster for the 2023 season. Having traded Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto, and Marcell Ozuna in the span of a few years, fans were aware that the team was entering a rebuild. However, the rebuild has yet to show any moderate signs of success. After making the postseason in 2020, the Marlins seem destined to finish the season below .500 for the twelfth time in the last thirteen seasons. An article by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Marlins view former first-rounder JJ Bleday as a “serviceable starter or platoon outfielder” and that “he does not project as a full-time center fielder.” Since a late July callup, Bleday has posted a measly .169/.285/.305/.590 slash line in his first MLB season with an inflated 28.5% strikeout percentage but with a high 13% walk rate. In a similar thought, the Marlins are “no longer counting on ” Lewin Díaz as their everyday first baseman because of his poor offensive performance. In his third season of Major League action, Díaz has posted a .163/.223/.281/.504 slash line in 148 plate appearances. Importantly, Díaz has seen an increase in his strikeout percentage and is fanning at a 30.4% clip and only walking at 6.8%.
Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Miami Marlins Notes Washington Nationals J.J. Bleday Josiah Gray Lewin Diaz MacKenzie Gore Matt Mervis Wade Miley

28 comments

NL Central Notes: Ashby, Lauer, Peralta, Thompson, Newcomb

By Darragh McDonald | September 19, 2022 at 10:40pm CDT

The Brewers are planning to activate left-hander Aaron Ashby to start tomorrow’s game, tweets Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Ashby went on the IL August 22 due to shoulder inflammation and will now return after just under a month. The southpaw likely won’t be ticketed for extended duty at first as he hasn’t ventured out onto any kind of rehab assignment. He spoke to McCalvy about the decision, saying that he has been feeling good in recent bullpen sessions, getting up to around 30 pitches.

The Brewers are in a tight postseason race, currently sitting two games behind the Phillies for the final National League Wild Card spot with just over two weeks remaining in the regular season. Given that narrow timeframe, it seems the club has opted to try and get Ashby back on the mound quicker than perhaps they would have under different circumstances. With Eric Lauer and Freddy Peralta also landing on the IL in recent weeks, the club’s rotation has been a bit snakebit recently, which might have also motivated the club to get aggressive with Ashby’s return. Lauer and Peralta could get back into the mix soon as well, with McCalvy relaying that Lauer could return on Friday, though in a short stint similar to Ashby. Peralta might be a bit behind those two, having just started mound work today.

Through 96 1/3 innings on the year, Ashby has a 4.58 ERA with a very strong 27% strikeout rate and 55.6% ground ball rate. However, he’s been held back by a 10% walk rate and a 19.7% HR/FB rate.

Other notes from around the division…

  • Just like the Brewers, the Cubs will also be bringing back one of their starters for truncated work down the stretch. Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune relays word from manager David Ross that right-hander Keegan Thompson will be activated in the coming days to pitch out of the bullpen. Thompson has had a solid sophomore effort here in 2022, throwing 104 1/3 innings so far with a 3.97 ERA, 20.5% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 40% ground ball rate. His campaign was interrupted by low back tightness, sending him to the IL a month ago. With the season winding down and the Cubs well out of contention, they will let Thompson throw a bit more at the big league level before the offseason arrives.
  • Left-hander Sean Newcomb, designated for assignment by the Cubs on the weekend, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, per Montemurro. That’s hardly surprising, given that Newcomb already cleared waivers earlier this year and has an ERA of 8.78 for the season. Players who have been previously outrighted or those with over three years of MLB service time are eligible to reject outright assignments and elect free agency. Newcomb qualifies on both counts, meaning he could head to the open market if he so chooses, though it’s unclear at this point if he’s made a decision in that regard.
Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Brewers Notes Aaron Ashby Eric Lauer Freddy Peralta Keegan Thompson Sean Newcomb

4 comments

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/18/22

By Darragh McDonald | September 18, 2022 at 2:47pm CDT

Catching up on some minor moves from around the game…

  • Pirates left-hander Dillon Peters cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis, per Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Peters had been designated for assignment on Thursday. The 30-year-old threw 39 1/3 innings for the Bucs this year with a 4.58 ERA, 15.8% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and 43% ground ball rate. He was rehabbing from an elbow issue recently but the club evidently didn’t want him retaking a roster spot. Since he’s out of options, that left designation for assignment as their only option. As he’s been previously outrighted in his career, he is eligible to reject this assignment in favor of electing free agency, though it’s not clear if he has made a decision in that regard.
  • Infielder Frank Schwindel has been given his unconditional release from the Cubs after clearing release waivers, per reporter Mark Gonzales. Schwindel had been designated for assignment yesterday. He had an incredible 2021 season where he launched 14 home runs in just 64 games and produced a batting line of .326/.371/.591. Unfortunately, he couldn’t sustain that here in 2022, slashing just .229/.277/.358. Now that he’s been released, he’ll be free to sign with any team.
Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions Dillon Peters Frank Schwindel

7 comments

Cubs Select Esteban Quiroz; Designate Frank Schwindel, Sean Newcomb

By Darragh McDonald | September 17, 2022 at 12:20pm CDT

The Cubs are making a batch of roster moves prior to today’s game, per reporter Mark Gonzales. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list while infielder Esteban Quiroz has had his contract selected. In corresponding moves, outfielder Seiya Suzuki was placed on the paternity list while left-hander Sean Newcomb and first baseman Frank Schwindel were designated for assignment.

Quiroz, 30, has taken an unusual path to the big leagues as he was playing in the Mexican League for years, not signing with an affiliated club until he was nearing his 26th birthday. He’s spent time in the minor league systems of the Red Sox, Padres and Rays, before coming to the Cubs as part of the Harold Ramirez trade in March. He’s only been healthy enough to get into 40 Triple-A games this season, hitting .212/.358/.322 in that time for a wRC+ of 89. However, he’s been much better since returning from the injured list at the start of August, hitting .299/.450/.442 in that time. He’s played second base and third base this year, though has also played some shortstop in previous season and some outfield work back in Mexico.

With the Cubs well out of contention and just over two weeks remaining on this year’s schedule, they can use those games to audition players for future roles on the team. Quiroz will jump into an infield mix that also includes Zach McKinstry, Christopher Morel, Patrick Wisdom, Alfonso Rivas, David Bote and Nico Hoerner, though Hoerner might not be a factor for a while. He’s missed time recently with an injury and an MRI just revealed a moderate right triceps strain, per Gonzales. “It was a little worse off than we thought,” manager David Ross told Gonzales.

Schwindel, 30, got a nice stretch of play last year after the Cubs traded away many of their regular at the deadline. He made the most of that opportunity, hitting 14 home runs in 64 games, slashing an incredible .326/.371/.591 for a 154 wRC+. He couldn’t keep the fairy tale alive this year, however, as he’s hit just .229/.277/.358 for a wRC+ of 76. With the trade deadline passed, he’ll be placed on waivers in the coming days to see if any other team believes there’s more magic left in Frank the Tank.

Newcomb, 29, once seemed like a rotation stalwart in Atlanta but has fallen on hard times recently. He was bumped to bullpen work and eventually designated for assignment earlier this year, getting traded to the Cubs. The change of scenery hasn’t helped much as Newcomb has a ghastly 8.78 ERA in 27 2/3 innings this year, walking 14.2% of batters faced in the process. This is the second time the Cubs have designated him this year, with the previous instance resulting in Newcomb clearing waivers and accepting an outright assignment. Based on his unfortunate results this year, he’ll likely pass through waivers unclaimed again. With minor league seasons winding down, it’s possible he could accept another outright and make a couple of appearances in the minors, though it’s also possible he just decides to get an early start on free agency.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Transactions Adbert Alzolay Esteban Quiroz Frank Schwindel Nico Hoerner Sean Newcomb

33 comments

Alec Mills Undergoes Back Surgery

By Steve Adams | September 16, 2022 at 10:57am CDT

Cubs right-hander Alec Mills underwent a discectomy procedure on his lower back Wednesday, the team announced this morning. He’d been out since July 3 with a lower back strain and was moved to the 60-day injured list late last month.

The surgery obviously closes the book on Mills’ 2022 season, and it also raises the question of whether he’ll be back with the team in 2023 and beyond. The Cubs can control the 30-year-old righty for three more years, but he’d be due his first arbitration raise this winter after throwing just 17 2/3 innings this season due to that balky back. Mills also pitched 119 frames with the 2021 Cubs, logging a 5.07 ERA with more promising peripheral marks (6.6% walk rate, 51.3% grounder rate, 4.49 FIP, 4.33 xFIP).

Mills has now spent parts of six seasons in the big leagues, nearly all of which has been as a member of the Cubs. He’s tallied 256 1/3 innings of 4.95 ERA ball with a 19.5% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 48.5% ground-ball rate. At various points in his Major League tenure, he’s looked the part of a back-of-the-rotation starter and interesting reliever, offsetting a below-average strikeout rate with good command and above-average ground-ball tendencies. However, Mills has now also had three separate IL stints due to lower back issues over the past two seasons.

The general hope is that this week’s surgery will alleviate that issue for good. Only time will tell whether he’ll get an opportunity to continue with the Cubs. Chicago has Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson, Adrian Sampson and prospects Caleb Kilian and Hayden Wesneski as potential rotation options for the 2023 season, with lefties Drew Smyly and Wade Miley set to reach free agency. They’ll also hope for better 2023 health for former top prospect Adbert Alzolay. Still, as the team looks to take steps forward, owner Tom Ricketts has vowed to be “active” in free agency, and the rotation is a logical place for president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to pursue fortifications.

Mills could certainly be retained as rotation depth, although he’s also out of minor league options, so if he’s tendered a contract he’d need to be carried on the Major League roster or injured list. Non-tendering him and re-signing him to a minor league deal is always a possibility, though all of those decisions will hinge on just how quickly he’s expected to recover from Wednesday’s surgery. At present, the Cubs have not provided a timetable for his rehabilitation.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Alec Mills

13 comments

Cubs Select Jared Young

By Darragh McDonald | September 14, 2022 at 5:22pm CDT

The Cubs have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Jared Young, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Outfielder Rafael Ortega is going on the 60-day IL in a corresponding move after fracturing his finger last night.

Young, 27, was a 15th-round selection of the Cubs in 2017 and has been working his way up the ranks of the minor leagues since then. After the pandemic wiped out the minors entirely in 2020, Young split his time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2021. That year, he hit .290/.361/.471 for a wRC+ of 128, walking in a solid 9.8% of his plate appearances and striking out in just 19.3% of them. This year, he’s taken a bit of a step back, hitting just .228/.310/.413 for the season, but the Cubs will give him a shot in the majors regardless.

Defensively, Young has mostly played first base and third base, though a little bit in the outfield corners as well. That will give the Cubs some flexibility in how they deploy their lineups down the stretch. With just three weeks left on the schedule and the Cubs well out of contention, they can use that time to audition youngsters and just generally give them reps at the game’s highest level.

For Ortega, the transfer is largely procedural at this point. When the news of his fracture came out last night, it was expected to end his season, which is now a certainty.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Transactions Jared Young Rafael Ortega

20 comments

Rafael Ortega Fractures Finger

By Anthony Franco | September 13, 2022 at 10:10pm CDT

Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega fractured his left ring finger during tonight’s contest with the Mets, relays Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic (Twitter link). The injury is expected to end his 2022 season.

Ortega suffered the injury while attempting to lay down a bunt against Jacob deGrom. He was immediately replaced by Michael Hermosillo, who’s a candidate to assume the vacated center field reps for the season’s final few weeks. Utilityman Christopher Morel has also played a fair amount of center field this year, but defensive metrics have panned his work there (and indeed all around the diamond). Chicago also has rookie Nelson Velázquez on the active roster, but he’s struggled offensively at both the MLB and Triple-A levels this year.

Signed to a minor league deal over the 2020-21 offseason, Ortega cracked the big league roster in May 2021. The journeyman impressed during his first season on the North Side, hitting a career-best .291/.360/.463 with 11 home runs and 12 stolen bases. A .349 batting average on balls in play certainly propped up those results, but Ortega had a decent blend of contact skills and power that earned him a permanent roster spot.

Ortega retained that job and has tallied a career high 371 trips to the plate this year. His offensive output has dipped from last year’s heights, as he carries a .241/.311/.358 line. The batted ball fortune has swung in the opposite direction, as Ortega has posted a below-average .285 BABIP this year. He’s nevertheless drawn walks at a robust 11.9% clip while only striking out 19.9% of the time.

The 31-year-old is a virtual lock to reach arbitration for the first time this offseason as a Super Two qualifier. He’s controllable through 2026, but the Cubs could entertain trade offers this winter given his age and the team’s retooling status. Ortega’s capable of covering all three outfield spots and offers a high-contact lefty bat that could make him a decent fourth outfield option for a contender. The offseason center field market is quite thin beyond Aaron Judge and Brandon Nimmo, so it’s possible teams searching for depth at the position could consider Ortega, assuming the finger injury isn’t expected to affect his readiness for next Spring Training.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago Cubs Rafael Ortega

23 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all
    Top Stories

    Cardinals Trade Sonny Gray To Red Sox

    Warren Schaeffer To Return As Rockies’ Manager In 2026

    Rangers Trade Marcus Semien To Mets For Brandon Nimmo

    Tigers Among Teams Interested In Ryan Helsley As Starting Pitcher

    Rangers Non-Tender Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim

    KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes Post Infielder Sung-mun Song

    Latest On Kyle Tucker’s Market

    2025 Non-Tender Candidates

    Braves, Astros Swap Mauricio Dubón For Nick Allen

    Braves Re-Sign Raisel Iglesias

    Mets Release Frankie Montas, Select Nick Morabito

    Orioles Trade Grayson Rodriguez To Angels For Taylor Ward

    A’s Designate JJ Bleday For Assignment

    Tampa Bay To Designate Christopher Morel, Jake Fraley For Assignment

    Astros Designate Ramon Urias For Assignment

    Nine Players Reject Qualifying Offer

    Trent Grisham To Accept Qualifying Offer

    Gleyber Torres To Accept Qualifying Offer

    Shota Imanaga To Accept Cubs’ Qualifying Offer

    Brandon Woodruff Accepts Qualifying Offer

    Recent

    MLBTR Podcast: Some “Classic Baseball Trades,” Nimmo For Semien, And Ward For Rodriguez

    The Opener: Cardinals, Red Sox, Pre-Thanksgiving Deals

    Cardinals Trade Sonny Gray To Red Sox

    Rays Sign Jake Fraley

    Mets Sign Robert Stock, Nick Burdi To Minor League Deals

    Kenta Maeda Signs With NPB’s Rakuten Eagles

    A’s, Wander Suero Agree To Minor League Deal

    Red Sox Expected To Prioritize Offense After Gray Trade

    Cubs Among Various Teams With Interest In Ryan Helsley

    Rangers, Jonah Bride Agree To Minor League Deal

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • 2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version