The Cubs are in agreement with left-hander Thomas Pannone on a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (on X). He’ll be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee. Pannone would be paid at an $800K rate for any time on the MLB team.
Pannone returns from South Korea, where he spent a half-season with the Kia Tigers. The 29-year-old also played part of the 2022 campaign with the Tigers before returning to the affiliated ranks last offseason. He reached the majors for one game with the Brewers, working 2 2/3 innings of relief. Milwaukee granted him his release in July so he could re-sign with the Tigers.
Over 16 appearances in Korea, he worked to a 4.26 ERA across 82 1/3 frames. Pannone had a modest 18.8% strikeout rate while walking 6.6% of batters faced. It marked a step down from his KBO performance in 2022, when he’d posted a 2.72 ERA over a near-identical workload.
Before this year’s cup of coffee in Milwaukee, Pannone’s big league experience was with the Blue Jays between 2018-19. He pitched in a swing capacity for Toronto, allowing 5.43 earned runs per nine over 49 appearances (13 of which were starts). Pannone has compiled a 5.10 ERA with a 21.4% strikeout percentage in 305 career Triple-A frames. He’s out of options, so if he cracks Chicago’s MLB roster at any point, he’d need to remain in the majors or be designated for assignment.
Great move!
Let the dumpster diving begin
You ain’t kidding ! Like we haven’t seenhoyer bungle an offseason
At least the Cubbies got a new Manager. After that… No soup for you!!!
Gotta love this hourly news.
Does he go by Tom?
Is he a friend of Yamamoto?
His grandfather was a friend of Admiral Yamamoto.
Jed was right, not out of the Pannone sweepstakes. Take that Nightingale!!!
Thomas Was Pannone
Where’s that $500 million they claim they offered Ohtani? Cubs ownership and management lie to the fans every time they open their mouth. They never had a chance to get Ohtani and apparently no back up plan either.
Nothing like over reacting to a minor league signing, huh?
There is a difference in investing $500M for Othani who would get it right back in merchandise alone and spending $500M on a bunch of lesser commodities.
People are acting like all the free agents are off the board as well. Not a single one of the Cubs targets have signed anywhere.
People just get mad because all these rumor sites write articles on the slightest interest in a player and lose their mind when the moves do not happen.
To me, Glasnow is the only move that happened related to a player the Cubs had serious interest in and, IMO, the Dodgers got fleeced in that deal. I’m glad the Cubs didn’t offer a similar package.
Now if Bellinger signs elsewhere, you’ll start hearing me complain.
We just signed Tom Pannone!
Also, who is Tom Pannone?
That cracked me up. My first thought was,
“ Who dat”?
First round playoff exodus here we come.
Why are they wasting time on this guy? It’s hard to believe he would find a spot on the team.
Who do you want to pitch August AAA games? A pitching machine?
Wow has this been a lame offseason. Other than Ohtani signing not much going on so far across the board. I hope the Cubs do something cool eventually, and that some of these guys start signing.
Well this should move Cubbies into WS contender status.
Even Stevie Wonder can see how this move is going to work out!
That wasn’t funny in 1965 either.
Thanks for the comment La Loyd
Wait! I’m pretty there’s still at least one more update that will occur regarding this…
The Chicago Cubs: The Dynasty That Never Was. Meanwhile, my White Sox are in a prime position.
This signing by the Cubs will move the needle. Note to Cubs front office: The idea is to move the needle forward, not backwards.
What a big name free agent and such a reasonable price!
The start of the rebuild
Such a great offseason with an estimated $50 million under the luxury tax threshold. Nothing came out of the winter meetings and most rumors have gone silent. I doubt their this good at hiding cards. Love watching the Cardinals outpace the Cubs on personnel moves.