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Steven Souza

Dodgers, Steven Souza Jr. Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Dodgers have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr., reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

Souza, 31, spent the bulk of Spring Training with the Astros but didn’t make the team after going just 2-for-21 with 13 strikeouts in 27 trips to the plate. The former Rays slugger is still working to establish himself after a disastrous 2019 knee injury derailed his career.

Then with the Diamondbacks, Souza was lined up to serve as the everyday right fielder in Arizona when he tore the ACL, LCL, PCL and posterolateral capsule in his left knee on a play at the plate late in Spring Training. The gruesome knee injury obviously required surgical repair and unsurprisingly wiped out his entire 2019 campaign. Souza rehabbed into the summer of 2020 and wound up resurfacing in the big leagues with the Cubs, but he hit just .148/.258/.333 in 31 plate appearances last year before being cut loose.

At his best, Souza was a solid right field defender with above-average power and plate discipline. He’s always been prone to strikeouts (31.5 percent), but his 2017 campaign produced a .239/.351/.459 batting line and a career-best 30 home runs for Tampa Bay. Three seasons have elapsed since that time, and Souza has been dogged by pectoral injuries in addition to that horrific knee injury since that peak season. Assuming he heads to Triple-A with the Dodgers once that season kicks off, he’ll finally be able to continue his rebound efforts in a normal game setting — something that wasn’t possible in 2020 with last year’s lack of a minor league season.

Astros To Release Steven Souza Jr.

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The Astros plan to release outfielder Steven Souza Jr., who has been in camp with them on a minor league deal, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Souza has been vying for the fourth outfielder’s role alongside Jose Siri, Ronnie Dawson and Chas McCormick, but it seems his spring struggles have pushed the team in another direction.

Souza, 31, is 2-for-21 with a homer thus far in Spring Training. He’s drawn five walks and been hit by a pitch in 27 trips to the plate but has also punched out an alarming 13 times in that tiny sample of plate appearances.

Souza’s last full season at the MLB level was quite productive, but it also came back in 2017. He slashed .239/.351/.459 with 30 home runs for the Rays that year, prompting the D-backs to swing a trade for him in the offseason. But a pectoral injury limited his time on the field and productivity in 2018, and his 2019 season was wiped out by one of the most catastrophic knee injuries we’ve seen recent memory; Souza suffered tears of his ACL and LCL in play at the plate that also left him with a partial PCL tear and a posterolateral capsule tear. He returned to the big leagues with the Cubs last year but struggled through 31 plate appearances before being cut loose.

The Astros entered the winter with an entire outfield’s worth of free agents, as George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick all hit the market. Springer went to Toronto, Brantley re-signed in Houston, and Reddick remains unsigned. With Brantley back in the fold, the ’Stros are looking at him in left field, Kyle Tucker in right field and speedster Myles Straw as the primary center fielder. McCormick is the likeliest option to break camp as the team’s fourth outfielder, given his ability to play center field and given that he’s the only player in that competition who is already on the team’s 40-man roster.

Quick Hits: Cishek, Souza, Herrera

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As spring training games continue and we inch closer to the 2021 season, let’s check in on a couple of notes from around the game…

  • Veterans Steve Cishek and Steven Souza Jr. are working to make the Astros’ roster out of camp, but their chances took a hit yesterday with the signing of Jake Odorizzi, writes the Athletic’s Jake Kaplan. Cishek would make a $2.25MM salary were he to make the team, while Souza would earn $1.15MM. The Astros very much prefer to stay under the luxury tax to avoid the worsening of the draft pick compensation they might receive if Carlos Correa, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, or Lance McCullers Jr. are offered (and decline) a qualifying offer at year’s end. While the terms of Odorizzi’s deal are not yet known, it’s likely to take them close to the $210 luxury tax threshold.
  • With Adam Haseley on the injured list and likely to miss opening day, Odubel Herrera has jumped into pole position to be the guy in center when the season starts, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He was an All-Star in the grass in 2017, but an 85-game suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy in 2019 derailed his once-promising career. Said manager Joe Girardi on Herrera’s chances to make the team, “We’re not allowed to punish anyone more than what MLB did. If Odubel doesn’t make the team, it would be what we would consider probably a lack of performance or we’d be more comfortable with getting a few more at-bats. That sort of thing. He’s in the running just like a lot of other guys.” The 29-year-old fell off dramatically after posting a 107 wRC+ from 2015 to 2017. He has not appeared in a big-league game since May 2019.

Astros To Sign Steven Souza To Minor-League Deal

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The Astros are in agreement on a deal with outfielder Steven Souza Jr., reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). It’s a minor-league deal, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Souza’s deal comes with an invitation to major league spring training, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.

Souza once looked like a potential core piece on the heels of a strong three-year run with the Rays, culminating in a .239/.351/.459 (121 wRC+), 30-homer season in 2017. After that campaign, the Diamondbacks acquired Souza in a three-team trade involving Tampa Bay and the Yankees.

Unfortunately, the move didn’t pan out. Souza struggled with both injuries and underperformance in 2018, then suffered a devastating knee injury near the end of the following spring training. That ended his 2019 season before it began; the Diamondbacks non-tendered him that winter. Souza did manage to return to the big leagues in 2020 after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs. His stay in Chicago lasted only eleven games, though, thanks in part to another stint on the injured list (this time for a hamstring strain).

It has now been three years since Souza’s managed a full, healthy season. Nevertheless, there’s no risk for the Astros in bringing the 31-year-old in on a non-roster deal and giving him an opportunity to compete for a job in spring training. It looks to be a decent landing spot for Souza, as there’s little depth in the Astros’ corner outfield behind projected starters Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker.

Steven Souza Changes Agencies

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Free agent outfielder Steven Souza Jr. has hired Moye Sports Associates to represent him moving forward, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. He’d previously been with ACES.

Souza, 31, returned from a catastrophic knee injury in 2020 and struggled through a rough showing with the Cubs, hitting just .148/.258/.333 in a tiny sample of 31 plate appearances. Some struggles were to be expected after Souza suffered not only a torn ACL but a torn LCL, partially torn PCL and a torn posterolateal capsule in his right knee during a Spring Training game with the D-backs in 2019. The gruesome knee injury shelved Souza for the entire season and could very well have put his future in the game in jeopardy, given the extent of the damage, but he was thankfully at least able to work back to the field in 2020.

Given the recent history of injuries and Souza’s down showing with the Cubs, a minor league pact seems likely this winter. It’s been awhile since we saw him at his best due not only to that knee injury but also a pectoral issue in 2018, but Souza did give the Rays a strong .239/.351/.459 slash with 30 big flies back in 2017. He has a strong defensive track record in right field as well, although a knee injury of that magnitude will of course give clubs some reason for trepidation.

Souza’s switch in representation has been updated in MLBTR’s Agency Database, which contains information on more than 2500 Major League and Minor League players. We do our best to keep it up to date, though the frequency with which players hire new representation makes that an uphill battle. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Cubs Release Steven Souza Jr.

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The Cubs announced that they have released outfielders Steven Souza Jr. and Ryan LaMarre and right-hander Juan Gamez. They also outrighted left-hander Matt Dermody, recalled righty Adbert Alzolay, optioned righty Colin Rea and added RHP Joe Wieland to their 60-man player pool.

Souza was a 30-home run hitter with the Rays in 2017, but he dealt with major injury problems as a Diamondback over the next two years. Souza was still able to land a guaranteed $1MM from the Cubs in free agency last offseason, but the move didn’t pay off at all for the club. He took 31 trips to the plate and batted .148/.258/.333 with one homer and 15 strikeouts before the Cubs designated him for assignment Sept. 5.

LaMarre previously garnered MLB experience with a few teams, most recently the Twins, but only owns a .623 OPS at the level. The Cubs signed him to a minor league contract in July, though he saw no action with the team before it released him.

Dermody, whom the Cubs signed to a minors pact Aug. 6, threw 25 1/3 frames with the Blue Jays from 2016-17 and returned to the bigs with a scoreless inning for the Cubs on Sept. 6 in his sole appearance of the season.

Cubs Designate Steven Souza

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In between games of a doubleheader with the Cardinals, the Cubs have designated outfielder Steven Souza Jr. for assignment, the team announced.  Right-hander Tyson Miller has been recalled and will be available for tonight’s game.

Souza went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in the first game (a 4-2 win for St. Louis), potentially ending his Cubs tenure with a .148 batting average and .591 OPS over 31 plate appearances  Souza came to Chicago on a one-year deal worth $1MM in guaranteed money during the offseason, but it has been a tough season for the outfielder, who hasn’t produced as the plate and also missed close to two weeks with a right hamstring strain.

After missing all of 2019 recovering from major knee surgery, Souza had a victory just in returning to the field this year, though he is still looking to get back to the form he displayed in his 2015-17 heyday with the Rays.  Being claimed off the DFA wire would put a new team on the hook for what remains of Souza’s prorated $1MM salary, which is only around $125K at this point and potentially worth a flier for a team in need of outfield depth.  Then again, if Souza clears waivers and is then released, an interested team could then sign him for only a prorated minimum salary, with the Cubs footing the rest of his guaranteed bill.

Cubs Activate Kris Bryant, Steven Souza Jr.

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The Cubs have activated Kris Bryant and Steven Souza Jr. off the 10-day injured list amidst a flurry of roster moves this afternoon.  To make room for Bryant, Souza, and their trade deadline acquisitions, the Cubs also placed right-hander Tyler Chatwood on the 10-day IL with a right forearm strain, optioned outfielder Albert Almora to their alternate training site, and designated righty Casey Sadler for assignment.

Bryant hasn’t played since August 17, as he suffered a sprained left ring finger (the official cause for his IL stint) and a wrist injury while trying to make a diving catch five days prior.  This was the latest in rather a long list of minor health problems for Bryant this season, as he had also previously dealt with some stomach issues as well as back and elbow soreness.  Given all of these problems, it probably isn’t surprising that Bryant hasn’t been himself at the plate, hitting only .177/.271/.323 over his first 70 plate appearances.

The Cubs are in first place in the NL Central even without much of a contribution from Bryant, and they’re also hoping to finally get some kind of extended look at Souza, as injuries (a right hamstring strain) and his part-timer status have limited him to just 24 PA this season.  Injuries have plagued Souza throughout his career, most notably a major knee operation that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.  The right-handed hitting Souza and new acquisition Cameron Maybin are likely to get some playing time when a left-handed starter is on the mound, spelling the lefty-swinging Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward in the outfield.

Chatwood’s placement is retroactive to August 31, and he left his start on the previous day in the third inning due to elbow discomfort.  While any forearm problem will be closely monitored, the Cubs do have some expectation that Chatwood will be back before the end of the season, though manager David Ross described Chatwood’s situation as “a long wait-and-see” in a chat with reporters (including Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune) today.  The righty has a 5.30 ERA over five starts and 18 2/3 innings for Chicago this season.

Sadler appeared in 10 games for the Cubs in 2020, posting a 5.79 ERA and almost matching his walk total (8) with his strikeout total (9) over 9 1/3 innings of work.  The 30-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Dodgers over the winter, and hasn’t been able to replicate in Chicago what he achieved over 46 1/3 innings with Los Angeles and Tampa Bay in 2019 — a 2.14 ERA, 6.0 K/9, and only a 2.5 BB/9, though advanced metrics were less impressed by Sadler’s overall performance.

Cubs Select Hernan Perez

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The Cubs have selected infielder/outfielder Hernan Perez, placed outfielder Steven Souza Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring issue and moved reliever Brad Wieck to the 45-day IL with a hamstring problem, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic was among those to report.

Perez, who most recently appeared in the majors with the NL Central rival Brewers, joined the Cubs on a minor league contract in the offseason. The 29-year-old hasn’t brought much offense to the table in the majors, where he has batted .252/.282/.387 (73 wRC+) with 45 home runs and 69 stolen bases in 1,1819 plate appearances, but has garnered significant experience at second, third, shortstop and in the outfield. He’ll give the Cubs some insurance at a time when Souza’s down and third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant is dealing with left wrist troubles. Bryant underwent an injection Tuesday and will miss a few days, Jesse Rogers of ESPN tweets.

Souza, 31, was a 30-home run hitter with the Rays in 2017, but injuries cut him down as a Diamondback the next two years and continue to trouble him now. He signed a $1MM deal with the Cubs in the offseason and has begun this year with a line of .190/.292/.429 (94 wRC+), one homer and 10 strikeouts in 24 PA.

Cubs Sign Steven Souza Jr.

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6:04pm: The Cubs have formally announced the signing.

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that he can earn the following incentives: $50K for reaching 200 plate appearances, $75K at 250 PAs, $125K at 300 PAs, $150K at 350 PAs and $200K for reaching each of 400, 450 and 500 PAs. Souza will also earn $200K for every 30th day on the active 26-man roster — up through 150 days.

3:50pm: The Cubs have finalized their one-year, Major League contract with free agent outfielder Steven Souza Jr., per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter link). The two sides were first reported to be nearing an agreement on Friday. Souza, who is represented by ACES, will receive a $1MM base salary and can earn another $2MM via incentives, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets. The team has yet to formally announce the signing.

Steven Souza Jr. | Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

It’s sure to be a low-cost deal for the Cubs, as Souza missed the entire 2019 season due to a devastating knee injury and hasn’t enjoyed a full, healthy year since a terrific 2017 campaign with the Rays. That year saw Souza turn in a .239/.351/.459 slash with career-highs in home runs (30), doubles (21), stolen bases (16) and plate appearances (617). Souza was traded to the Diamondbacks that offseason and immediately hit by injuries — namely a pectoral tear that wiped out more than half of his season and limited him to a .220/.309/.369 slash when on the field.

Bringing Souza into the fray gives the Cubs another option in what already looked like a somewhat crowded outfield mix. Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr., Jason Heyward and Ian Happ are already lined up to share playing time as is. Third baseman Kris Bryant, too, has seen work in the outfield corners in each of the past five seasons. There are already plenty of question marks surrounding a potential trade involving Bryant — first and foremost centering around an ongoing service time grievance — and bringing another corner outfielder onto the roster will only spark some further speculation about other dealings.

The Souza pickup is the latest in a string of budget-friendly acquisitions from a Cubs front office that has been handcuffed both by the uncertainty surrounding Bryant’s status and by payroll constraints set forth by the Ricketts family ownership group. Chicago reportedly agreed to a tiny $850K deal with reliever Jeremy Jeffress earlier today and has otherwise made a string of minor league signings or non-guaranteed MLB deals (Dan Winkler, Ryan Tepera).

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