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.
Hold up are we SURE we got a good look at that career 0.550 OPS?
Good to see Wilson back for the last ten days of the season. Hermosillo was one of my choice cuts from the 40-man roster.
This guy was in the Show?
This was a good move at the end of the year. I enjoyed Herm in CF as he can go getem, but lacks offense. Cubs have too many OF on the way from the minors. I hope this might be an indication that the Cubs will offer WC something to stay for a few years. The Cubs could make a run in ’23 with some offense from the #2 position. We don’t need the Cardinals coming after him as rumored. Glad Suzuki is back and hope all is well with his wife and child. Finish strong against the Phils. they will be wishing they were playing day games the rest of the way with the cold coming.
Hermosillo is a weaker version of Morel. Gotta love the energy and enthusiasm, but it was the right call to cut Hermosillo. Even Morel is best suited as a backup utility who gets 300-400 at-bats a year.
No reason to fly to Japan when you can just FaceTime the birth
There are a lot of words I want to say about you but I’d assume most of them would see my comment deleted.
Like “Fukudome”? (Believe it or not, he is still playing at age 45.)
By the way, I’m hoping Suzuki considered this an off year for himself.
All that negativity isn’t good for you my friend. That’s why I preach positivity. Take deep breaths and let that anger go.
It’s not about anger. Your comments are just stupid. You’re a troll, end of story.
There’s gonna be a lot more 40 man DFA’s coming as there is a lot of dead weight remaining and young guys who need protecting.
Heyward
Ortega
Miley
Mills
Brault
Leiter
Rivas
Reyes
Bote?
Mckinstry?
Wieck- He won’t pitch next year so maybe he stays on the 60?
Espinoza
Vizcaino
Top moves to make IMO
How Vizcaino ever made a 40 man roster I do not know.
I think Bote and McKinstry stay, although I don’t see both of them in the organization by Opening Day. Once the Cubs sign a significant FA infielder, I’d expect them to try to trade one of them and then try to outright the other one.
Bote will be outrighted because no other team will want to pay his contract.
I agree for the most part except Crook, Quiroz, and Young will be DFA’d before Rivas.
I would think Wick and Wieck as well as Brault and Mills are non tenders as Jed is ruthless with relievers that are arbitration eligible
Pretty sure you come off the 60 for the winter right after the WS until the rule 5 so you can’t stash them away.
Sadly, I think Bote stays because he is guaranteed $4 M and 5.5 M, over the next 2 years. I think Leiter deserves another look next year. He has been excellent out of the bullpen: 2.70 ERA/1.02 WHIP in 50 IP. I think the rest are as good as gone.
I hope not if he is not injured he is mostly hitting ground balls to the infield.
Agree
I was kinda expecting this one but they should also DFA Greg Deichmenn.
Outrighted earlier this season, then released in August.
Thanks
They need to clean a lot of people off the 40 man roster so they can protect the players they deem will be the future of the franchise. if they like anyone of the guys they let you from the 40, they can always sign a minor league contract in Spring Training.
I don’t care if he has a 25 foot vertical and runs faster than Usain Bolt. He is one of the worst hitters in the history of human kind…I would give pitching a try if I were him.
Hermosillo was a good triple A hitter, that means he is one of the best on the planet and deserves his kudos. He is just not MLB material, not even a backup. Maybe he can get a one-year KBO or Nippon contract, he does have a great team attitude and plays decent defense.
If you are a two tool player like Michael Hermosillo one of the tools better be the ability to hit.
Contreras has a 10 game lead up to FA, but even if he kills it, I don’t see a lot of clamoring for his services. I predict he’ll end up having to settle for something like 3/60 – probably Angels or Tigers, and those 3 years will be meh.
I think Tigers and Rockies would be interested. Maybe Red Sox, Twins, Astros, and Brewers, too.
You guys remember that Time Todd Hundley got picked off in Pittsburgh?
Do you guys remember Todd Hundley?