8:38am: The two sides have a Major League deal in place, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
8:34am: The Cubs are closing in on a one-year, Major League deal with right-hander Brandon Workman, reports Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (Twitter link). The deal in question would guarantee Workman $1MM with another $2MM available via incentives. The Workman deal comes one day after Cubs president of baseball operations signaled that he expected to soon add one more reliever on a Major League deal.
Outside of a catastrophically bad 13 2/3 innings with the Phillies last year, Workman has ranged anywhere from a solid to shutdown late-inning arm in recent years. From 2017 up until last year’s trade to Philadelphia, the 32-year-old Workman gave the Red Sox 159 1/3 innings of 2.65 ERA ball with a 28.8 percent strikeout rate, an 11.8 percent walk rate and a 46.4 percent grounder rate.
Workman’s 2019 season, in particular, was a source of intrigue. The righty stepped up as Boston’s primary closer and posted a 1.88 ERA with a ridiculous 36.4 percent strikeout rate, but he also turned in a bloated 15.7 percent walk rate that was far and away the highest of his career.
In 2019, Workman scaled back the use of his four-seamer and cutter that year and leaned into his curveball at a career-high 47.2 percent, perhaps contributing both to the spike in walks and the much larger spike in strikeouts. He was following the same gameplan in 2020, and doing so with better control of the strike zone in a limited sample, before greatly reducing his curveball usage in Philadelphia. Whether Workman lost the feel for his curveball with the Phillies or lost confidence in the pitch (perhaps both), the once-wipeout offering quickly became the source of his struggles. After hitting just .135/.250/.195 on plate appearances ending with Workman’s curveball in 2019, opponents uncorked a staggering .436/.511/.641 slash against that same hook in 2020.
The Cubs will obviously look to restore Workman’s curveball to peak levels. If they’re able to do so, Workman ought to be a considerable bargain at his modest price point. He should have the opportunity to pitch in high-leverage situations, reprising his role as a setup man for former Boston teammate and current Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel.
2019 Workman is a mirage, but perhaps not 2017-2018 Workman
FWIW, his fielding independent metrics were still pretty good, so I don’t think it’s out for the question for him to rebound in that direction. I’d definitely call it a reasonable gamble at $1-2MM.
Good ol’ Rummage sale Ricketts
Don’t u ever get tired of being such a troll. Geez either you have no life at all or ur hatred and jealousy that you grew up with as a fan of the wrong team in the city has just destroyed your sanity. You shld be happy you might have a really good team this year and make a run. But it’s more important to hope the cubs are not good. You kno why your so compelled to do so? Because even when your team is good or even great, you still deep down realize you support the second team in Chicago. The 2nd.
It’s all he has. Let it go.
Well we all know he cries himself asleep. James Shields for Tatis Jr. I would too but Torres got us WS championship. At the time he was blocked by Javy and Russell.
Remember Yadiel Hernandez walk off bomb against him and Soto’s dinger
2013 Workman in the postseason… gotta love that.
The question is… are they getting 2019 Workman or 2020 Workman?
2021 workman
He will be fine. 2020 was different on so many levels
㻭
Big if true
Just work…man.
Ha
Not a bad low-risk signing. He was one of 2019’s most effecive relievers so why not take the risk on him.
Well not when he went to the Phillies….
That’s why he said 2019, not 2020. Last year’s performances should be taken with a grain of salt, for everyone.
Oh im an idiot or some reason I thought 2019 was 2020. I agree about last year performances mostly for pitchers, especially vets that need ST like Strasburg
@Ry.the.Stunner I agree in theory, but with Workman it looked like his go-to-pitch was completely flat. I don’t think that can be completely ignored. Workman may be toast, but it’s not like the Cubs bet the farm on him.
Hope he helps the cubs as much as he did the Phillies.
Cute!
Go Cardinals!
Cant hate on this
Hell my team just signed Travis Shaw….im not in a huge laughing mood at the moment.
I like Travis Shaw… would love him back in Boston.
Most hated Phillies player in 2020. Just absolutely a disaster every time he appeared. I’m sure he’ll do well for the Cubs somehow.
If Brandon Workman can cut down on his walks he could be a nice add for the Cubs’ pen. Workman was 10-1 for the Red Sox in 2019. As I’ve mentioned on many a podcast over the past few years, he was also 1-10 for the Sox in 2014. I couldn’t find any other pitcher in MLB history to have 2 such seasons. Getting back to ’19, Workman had 16 saves, a 1.88/1.03 ERA/WHIP, only 29 HA, and a 104/45 K/BB in 71 2/3 IP. But 29 hits in that amount of innings (2019) is HOF like.
I like this for the Cubs. I was hoping he’d return to the RS. I don’t know what happened in Philly; maybe his had exploded after being trade. But his work out of the BP for the RS was really pretty good overall. His K/W was never as good as his ERA, but never bad.
The Sox saw the writing on the wall. He isn’t the same player.
No, Chaim Bloom saw him.
It’s an ok signing but the Cubs aren’t going anywhere. If Workman is decent, he will get moved again at the deadline.
Lol we shall see. This cubs team is going to be Solid. We’re signing guys like Workman was absolute filth for his whole career until one short season last year where he didn’t pitch well. Also prolly had at least something to do with the Phillies “coaching their pitchers.” Last year sample size means nothing good or bad long term. What matters is 2021. I think Workman can be a good pitcher this year.
I don’t know what you mean by that… getting to the postseason isn’t the problem for the Cubs. Winning in the postseason is.
Steady improvement from 2017 to 2019 when he was practically unhittable. 71 2/3 innings, 29 hits, 1 home run. Phenomenal. That said, he’s a role player. Kind of like Barnes, if he’s on, lights out. If he’s not on, get him out. One of those guys who will give you five straight perfect outings and then give up 3-4 runs.
Let me get this out of the way before the massive criticism about the Cubs latest signing begins. This is how the Cubs will be doing business in the near term. They sign low cost, short term players who can possibly bring modest to high reward. This organization is going through a reset. The reasons, real or perceived have been discussed and well documented. Next off season the Cubs have copious amounts of money coming off the payroll. Bryant, Kimbrel, Arrieta, Rizzo, Baez among many others. They will likely try o extend some players but who knows where that goes. Anthony Rizzo is probably the surest bet. I still see this team competing in the very diluted NL Central. That’s not saying much-Sorry Cards and Brewers fans. My guess is that the Cubs move a few players before the trade deadline in effort to get some return. Naturally the return will depend on the health and performance of players like Bryant and Kimbrel. Plan on the return being 18-20 year old players who are lottery tickets.
It’s hard to complain about this signing. He has tremendous upside for the the price. Throwing money at a bullpen appears to never pays off.
The only people complaining about this signing are the usual Sox and card trolls. We will compete this year and at this point sans Darvish I think the roster as a whole Is better than last years overall. (When we won the division) Anyway baseball season is here again baby let’s go!
@Cubsforever There are also plenty of Phillies fans who just suffered through Workman’s awful performance in 2020. It’s not hate towards the Cubs. Workman was a huge part of a historical bad bullpen in 2020. If he throws 3 solid innings this year, I’d get annoyed. Hah.
A lot of money coming off the books but a pretty barren roster when you subtract those players and not much help on the farm. Cubs are in a tough spot in terms of acquiring amateur talent as the MLB team has been good and therefore not getting top 10-15 picks and also a large market team not getting competitive balance picks. Gonna have to hit on those trades and international signings.
Yankees, Angels, BlueJays, Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, all usual big spenders at times just spent a lot of money or have a lot of money tied up. Throw in the White Sox and Padres as not spending and trying to extend their own roster. The Cubs will be able to spend money in the 2021 offseason and letting their guys play for a contract is smart business IMO. 100 million to spend? You can sign guys like Bryant, RIzzo, and Baez and have about 40 million left to spend on other guys. Their farm system is not barren either. They should have 2 more guys knocking on the top 100 next off season or at mid season this year. That would give them 4 top 100 players with a possible 5.
The Cardinals don’t have a ton of money tied up next year. They have Fowler, Carpenter, Miller, Martinez, Yadi, and Waino all coming off of the books. As well as 7.2 mil a year discounts on Arenado following 2022 and a couple of sizable dead money payments. They only have ~86 mil commited, which leaves a little less than $100 mil minus arb raises. They will have money to spend.
Workman was nails for the sox. Not sure what happened to him last year, but he was pretty good to unhittable in Boston.
Relievers are now flying off the shelves.
Looks like the remains of the second tier RHRP’s are getting deals for ~ $2 MM. Would love to see the Yanks get D-Rob on a similar contract. That’d finish the pen off nicely.
I think there is enough room “left” under the “cap”.
Me: “The dude had a 1.88 ERA in 2019”. 1/4 of the people on this site: “He had a 2.1763 gRTH^*p4! You know nothing about baseball! “
Fax
People hating on this signing are pretty stupid. 1 million for a MLB player is not going to break the bank. And if it does not work out…… it was 1 million.
What exactly are the Cubs trying to do? This is really about Workman. He’s ok. I guess. However, when did the Ricketts family morph into the Wilpons? Are they going full rebuild on a team that was ok? Why didn’t they try to make some moves to contend? If Cincinnati and Pittsburgh can’t compete that’s sad enough. But a team in Chicago?
I think Hoyer is trying to put the Cubs in the position like Cashman had the Yankees in 2016 and hopefully get teams to overpay in trades to get the Cubs to sell at the deadline.
IF the Cubs are a few games above .500 and battling for a WC spot, I fully expect Hoyer to sell.
The only way the Cubs get someone to overpay at the trade deadline for their island of misfit vets is if they trade with themselves. Or perhaps Ryan Pace
IT is not always about what is right in front of you. Maybe, just maybe they are looking toward the future a little more than some rando fan on this site. Why sign a guy like Springer when the cream of the crop next year is better than that? Why sign a guy like Bauer when he has been a clubhouse cancer in Cleveland and did not do anything to help his team win. All he is about is getting paid! He has even said that. Darvish for 3 more years and 60 million is decent, but what if he gets hurt again? Which is a strong possibility……. I am not sure why fans of baseball cannot see what the Cubs are doing. Let the rest of the “core” play this thing out. Sign extentions to guys that want them and prove themselves. What if the Cubs strike gold with Arrieta, Workman, Peterson, Etc? Look at the other teams in baseball and their Cap numbers compared to the Cubs for the 2021 offseason.
Have a feeling the Phillies are gonna regret that Workman/Hembree trade even more when Pivetta is giving the Bo Sox rotation 5 or 6 sharp innings every 5th day.
Phillies fans will never regret trading Pivetta. The Phillies gave him more chances than he deserved and he stunk it up every time. I wish him success in Boston, but he could not hack it as a starter or reliever in Philly. Multiple coaches tried and failed. I expect Red Sox will be seeing the real Pivetta in 2021, but like I say I wish him the best. Maybe a change of scenery is all he needed, but I’m doubtful.
I will miss Seabold more than Penvetta. Have fun watching him melt down on the mound the second things dont go his way.
Enjoy the hanging curveballs.
Chafin, WIck, Wieck, Kimbrel, Workman, Ryan, and Winkler all have had decent numbers out of the pen at various times in their careers.
I genuinely like this signing for the Cubs but in the bigger picture scheme of things what are the Cubs doing? Trading Darvish essentially as a salary dump just to keep Bryant for one more year before he leaves. Then adding some solid, albeit unspectacular players on one year deals to try and compete but not going all in on more proven or reliable players before the core inevitably gets dismantled. Nobody knows what the future brings but if I had to guess there’s gonna be a much, much longer rebuilding process on the horizon simply because of ownership/management decisions made this offseason specifically to avoid starting the process of rebuilding.
They traded Darvish in order to open up some room for those additions… They also landed Zach Davies in that deal… He’s a pretty good pitcher himself.
Lol. I say this with all sincerity. WORST pitcher to ever wear a Phillies uniform. And that’s saying a lot.
Nothing hurt with a 1 million dollar deal for 1 year though.
If not used to Close games Workman is a solid Reliever. Good in the 7th or 8th just let Kimbrel have the 9th
Ross probably caught him on 2013 w Sox.
Leave it to my protégé to sign a workman like pitcher
Could not stand this guy with the Phillies! 0-0 curveball, 1-0 curveball, 2-0 curveball 3-0 curveball!!! WHAT??!!!!Stinks! Actually he fit last years roster well! Go Phils!