Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus four players are on the 60-DAY IL


28 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus seven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, two are on the 10-DAY IL, and three are on the 15-DAY IL


Last updated 9-22-20239
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 14
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 6
Nico Hoerner
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom
* Jared Young

OUTFIELDERS: 6
* Cody Bellinger
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 7
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Ben Brown, P  
Brennen Davis, OF 
Jeremiah Estrada, P
Caleb Kilian, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Michael Rucker, P

10-DAY IL: 2
Jeimer Candelario, 1B
Nick Madrigal, INF

15-DAY IL: 3
Adbert Alzolay, P
Brad Boxberger, P 
Michael Fulmer, P 

60-DAY IL: 4
Nick Burdi, P
Codi Heuer, P
* Brandon Hughes, P
Ethan Roberts, P
 

Minor League Rosters

Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Bogaerts Knows How to Whistle, Blows Out Three-Run Blast at Fitch Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 05:34 pm

Jair Bogaerts crushed a 420-ft HR over the CF fence to cap a four-run 5th inning and James Pugliese (four innings of one-hit shutout ball with five strikeouts) and three relievers combined to throw a three-hit shutout, as one squad of Cubs blanked one squad of Giants 4-0 on Field #2, and Javier Baez and Jeimer Candelario each doubled and drove-in two runs, Dong-Yub Kim doubled and tripled and scored two runs, Brian Inoa doubled and tripled and knocked-in two runs, and Wilson Contreras belted a solo HR, but Stephen Yarrow blasted a solo home run and Hector Mercedes hammered a three-run shot to propel the other squad of Giants to victory over the other squad of Cubs by a score of 11-9 on Field #3, in a Memorial Day Weekend Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader extravaganza played this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

Both games were seven-inning affairs.

Jair Bogaerts was the PTBNL in (what turned-out to be) the rather convoluted Theo Epstein compensation trade that saw the Cubs send RHRPs Chris Carpenter and Aaron Kurcz to the BoSox, and is the brother of Boston's #2 rated prospect, SS Xander Bogaerts. But unlike his brother, Jair is a big dude (6'2 240+) who could be Rock Shoulders' twin brother, a lumbering corner INF who has played mostly 3B (and none too well, either) since joining the Cubs, while hitting 189/302/243 with only two XBH (both doubles) and just one RBI through 17 EXST games (43 PA) coming into today's action.

Meanwhile over on Fitch Park Field #1, five Cub pitchers (Bryce Shafer, Amaury Paulino, Roderik Pichardo, Loiger Padron, and Ramon Garcia) threw an early-morning four-inning “sim” game prior to the EXST twin-bill.

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHP Felix Pena and OF Yasiel Balaguert have been promoted to Peoria, and RHP Rob Whitenack (June 2011 TJS rehab) has been moved-up to Daytona.

Cubs VP of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita has been at Fitch Park all week, getting a first-hand look at the Cubs Extended Spring Training squad, so it probably didn’t hurt Balaguert’s cause that he went 5-7 with a HR and five RBI in EXST games this past Monday and Wednesday. He was hitting 338/384/492 in 23 EXST games (73 PA). Some of you may remember that the 19-year old Balaguert as one of two Cuban defectors signed by the Cubs last December 7th (RHP Carlos Martinez was the other one).

The solidly-built Balaguert has played mostly RF and LF at EXST (he has a decent arm but doesnt have the range to play CF), and shows occasional power but with a body & a swing that should produce home runs at a more substantial rate as he matures. He was a teammate of highly-regarded Cuban OF prospect Jorge Soler on the Cuban Junior National Team.

RHP Felix Pena put up a 5.68 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 6/11 BB/K in 19.0 IP (10 games) at Extended Spring Training prior to getting the call-up to Peoria.

Fleita also had a chance to watch Rob Whitenack throw “lights out” at Maryvale on Tuesday, when the right-hander tossed six innings of three hit ball at the Brewers, throwing 56 pitches (45 for strikes)

Here are the abridged box scores from the two EXST games played at Fitch Park today (Cubs players only):

FIELD #2

CUBS SQUAD “A” LINEUP:
1. Trey Martin, CF: 0-3 (5-3, F-8, K)
2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-3 (L-6, F-8, K)
3. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 0-3 (K, E-6, F-9, SB)
4. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 1-2 (1B, K, BB)
5. Xavier Batista, RF: 0-2 (BB, L-7, F-7)
6. Dan Vogelbach, DH #1: 0-1 (K, BB, BB, R)
7. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-3 (P-6, 1-3, 6-3)
8. Wilfredo Petit, C-DH: 1-3 (4-3, 2B, K, R, RBI).
9a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
9b. Justin Marra, C: 1-2 (1B, K, R, RBI)
10. Jair Bogaerts, 3B: 1-3 (F-8, HR, F-9, R, 3 RBI)
11. Trevor Gretzky, DH #3: 1-1 (BB, 1B, SB, CS)

CUBS SQUAD “A” PITCHERS:
1. James Pugliese: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 GIDP, 54 pitches (34 strikes), 4/3 GO/FO
2. Brian Smith: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 PO, 13 pitches (7 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
3. Ethan Elias: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 13 pitches (6 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO
4. Pete Levitt: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 20 pitches (15 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD “A” ERRORS: 1:
1B Rock Shoulders - E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS SQUAD “A” CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Wilfredo Petit: 0-1 CS

FIELD #3

CUBS SQUAD “B” LINEUP:
1. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 2-4 (3B, 1B, P-4, 4-3, 2 R, RBI)
2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 1-3 (6-3, BB, K+WP, 1B, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB)
3. Javier Baez, SS: 1-4 (5-3, F-9, 5-3, 2B, 2 RBI, SB)
4. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-3 (F-8, 2B, BB, K, 2 RBI)
5. Dustin Geiger, 1B: 1-4 (5-3, 5-3, 1B, P-6)
6. Kevin Encarnacion, RF: 0-2 (BB, 4-3, 4-3, CS)
7. Wilson Contreras, C: 1-3 (F-7, HR, K, R, RBI)
8. Garrett Schlecht, LF: 1-3 (2B, K, F-7, R)
9a. Neftali Rosario, DH #1: 0-0 (HBP)
9b. Dong-Yub Kim, PH-DH: 2-2 (2B, 3B, 2 R)
10a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
10b. Brian Inoa, DH #2: 2-2 (3B, 2B, 2 RBI)

CUBS SQUAD “B” PITCHERS:
1. Jose Arias: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 63 pitches (43 strikes), 5/1 GO/FO
2. David Henrie: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 25 pitches (20 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO
3. Ryan Hartman: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 7 pitches (5 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
4. Carlos Martinez: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 23 pitches (14 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD “B” ERRORS: 2
1. SS Javier Baez - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely – eventually scored unearned run)
2. P David Henrie - E-1 (errant throw on what should have a 1-6 FC allowed runner to reach 2nd base safely – eventually scored unearned run)

CUBS SQUAD “B” OUTFIELD DEFENSE:
CF Shawon Dunston Jr - runner thrown out 8-4-2 trying to score from 1st base on a double

ATTENDANCE: 24

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 70’s

Tags
EXST Cubs
Dong-Yub Kim
Cubs Extended Spring Training
Brian Inoa
Javier Baez
Jeimer Candelario
Yasiel Balaguert
Rob Whitenack
Wilson Contreras
Felix Pena
Jair Bogaets

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 05:38 pm

They weren’t Cactus League Extended Spring Training games so the stats don’t count, but the EXST Cubs did play a six-inning intra-squad game Thursday morning and a three-inning intra-squad game Friday morning at Fitch Park Field #3, mainly so that Ian Dickson and Hunter Ackerman could get stretched-out to near 60 pitches, and so that Rafael Diplan, Jin-Young Kim, Matt Spencer, and Luis Villalba could stay on-schedule out of the pen RHP Justin Berg (September 2011 TJS rehab) was scheduled to pitch on Thursday, but was scratched because of illness. All of the active EXST Cubs position players saw game-action in the game on Thursday, and three of them had a noteworthy day in the game. Another had a noteworthy performance on Friday. Javier Baez hammered an RBI triple and a solo HR, Rock Shoulders belted an opposite-field solo HR, and Carlos Penalver tripled and scored in his first AB and then drove-in a run with a 6-3 GO his second-time up in Thursday’s game, and Eduardo Gonzalez slugged a two-run home run and drove-in another run with a squeeze bunt in Friday’s game. And Dan Vogelbach walked in all four of his Plate Appearances over the two days, showing the patience at the plate he seemed to have lost over the past six weeks. 26-year old ex-OF Matt Spencer showed-off his lefty power-arm in Friday’s game, striking out five in just two innings of work. The 6’5 250+ Spencer is a formidable presence on the mound, and when he throws his 96-98 MPH heater and curve for strikes he is virtually unhittable (as he was on Friday). If Spencer can harness his command and throw strikes more consistently, he could advance quickly through the system as a lefty reliever. The southpaw is eligible to be a minor league FA post-2013, however, so the Cubs need to find-out ASAP if he has a legitimate future on the mound. The Cubs gave one-time Korean "bonus-baby" RHP Su-Min Jung another chance to pitch in the intra-squad contest on Friday, and he continues to struggle to command his fastball. In fact the only pitch he can throw for strikes is his curve ball, but you just can’t throw a curve on every pitch. Here are the box scores from the two intra-squad games: INTRA-SQUAD GAME - THURSDAY 5/24: SQUAD “A” LINEUP: 1. Kevin Encarnacion, RF: 0-3 (K, F-7, 4-3) 2. Trey Martin, CF: 1-3 (3B, 6-3, 6-3) 3a. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 0-2 (P-5, 3-U) 3b. Justin Marra, PH: 0-1 (K) 4. Xavier Batista, LF: 0-2 (6-3, F-8) 5. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 1-2 (K, HR, R, RBI) 6. Wilson Contreras, C: 1-2 (5-3, 2B, R) 7. Eduardo Gonzalez, DH #1: 0-2 (K, F-7) 8. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-2 (3B, 6-3, R, RBI) 9. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-1 (F-8 SF, L-4, RBI) 10. Garrett Schlecht, DH #2: 0-2 (3-1, K) SQUAD “B” LINEUP: 1. Shawon Dunston Jr, RF: 0-1 (BB, 4-3, R) 2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B-DH: 1-2 (1B, 4-3) 3. Javier Baez, SS: 2-2 (3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI) 4. Yasiel Balaguert, CF: 1-2 (1B, P-5, RBI) 5. Dustin Geiger, 3B: 0-1 (BB, E-5, PO) 6. Dan Vogelbach, DH #1: 0-0 (BB, BB, SB) 7. Dong-Yub Kim: LF: 0-2 (K, 6-5 FC) 8a. Sergio Burruel, DH #2: 0-1 (4-3) 8b. Wilfredo Petit, PH: 0-1 (3-U) 9. Brian Inoa, DH-2B: 0-2 (4-3, F-7) 10. Neftali Rosario, C: 0-1 (K) 11. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 1-1 (1B) 12. Jair Bogaerts, DH #4: 0-1 (K) SQUAD “A” PITCHERS: 1. Hunter Ackerman: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 3 K, 1 PO, 55 pitches (31 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO NOTE: Ackerman’s first inning was stopped with one out (“ROLL IT!”) 2. Rafael Diplan: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 34 pitches (21 strikes), 4/2 GO/FO SQUAD “B” PITCHERS: 1. Ian Dickson: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 55 pitches (42 strikes), 5/4 GO/FO 2. Jin-Young Kim: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 26 pitches (15 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO NOTE: Kim’s second inning was extended an extra AB after third out was recorded (“STAY OUT THERE!”) SQUAD “A” ERRORS: 1 3B Jeimer Candelario – E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely) SQUAD “B” ERRORS: NONE SQUAD “A” CATCHERS DEFENSE: Wilson Contreras: 0-1 CS SQUAD “A” OUTFIELD ASSISTS: CF Trey Martin - threw out batter 8-4 trying to stretch a single into a double INTRA-SQUAD GAME - FRIDAY 5/25 SQUAD “A” LINEUP: 1. Brian Inoa, DH-2B: 1-2 (1B, 3-1, SB, PO) 2. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 1-1 (1B, BB) 3. Gioskar Amaya, 2B-DH: 0-1 (BB, K, SB) 4. Javier Baez, SS: 0-2 (K, K) 5. Justin Marra, C: 0-0 (BB, R, SB) 6. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 1-1 (3B, RBI) 7. Dustin Geiger, 3B: 0-0 (BB) 8. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 0-1 (K) 9. Neftali Rosario, DH #2: 0-1 (K) 10. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: 0-1 (K) SQUAD “B” LINEUP: 1. Trey Martin, CF: 1-2 (P-3, 2B, RBI) 2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-2 (F-7, 1B) 3. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-1 (BB, 1B, R) 4. Xavier Batista, RF: 1-2 (P-6, 1B, R) 5. Rock Shoulders, DH #1: 1-2 (P-6, 2B, R, RBI) 6. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-0 (BB, BB, 2 R) 7. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 1-1 (HR, SH-E1, R, 3 RBI) 8a. Jair Bogaerts, DH #2: 0-1 (K) 8b. Wilson Contreras, PH: 0-1 (E-3) 9. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-0 (HBP, R) 10. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-1 (2B, R) SQUAD “A” PITCHERS: 1. Jorge Diaz: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 WP, 49 pitches (29 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO 2. Luis Villalba: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 BALK, 30 pitches (15 strikes) NOTE: Villalba’s second inning was stopped with no outs SQUAD “B” PITCHERS: 1. Su-Min Jung: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 31 pitches (14 strikes) 2. Matt Spencer: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 29 pitches (17 strikes) SQUAD “A” ERRORS: 2 1. P Luis Villabla – E-1 (throwing error on sacrifice bunt attempt allowed batter to reach base safely) 2. 1B Trevor Gretzky – E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely) SQUAD “B” ERRORS: NONE SQUAD “B” CATCHERS DEFENSE Wilfredo Petit: 1-2 CS, 1 PO

Submitted by Mornington Crescent on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 05:18 am

I propose a contest predicting how the Cubs will lose their next game.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 05:43 pm

Having seen Starlin Castro play SS, 2B, and 3B extensively at EXST, AZL CUBS, and AZ Instructs in 2008, absolutely no doubt his best position is 2B (he is actually an above-average defensive 2B). and if you ask them, you will find that the Cubs minor league infield instructors who have worked one-on-one with Castro will agree. That said, Castro CAN play SS (it's just that he's better at 2B), and there is no reason to move him at this time unless the Cubs want to switch Castro and Barney, but then Barney is the Cubs #1 SS until whenever Baez arrives. As for Javier Baez, reports that he would have to be moved to 3B just don't jibe with his play at SS at EXST. He does make too many careless errors because he plays too fast and tries to do too much, but he has the range and arm to play SS, and he also has the leadership & field command presence preferred in a SS (like a point guard in basketball). Baez is Derrick Rose. Castro is Carmelo Anthony. Pre-draft reports that Baez would have to move to 3B in pro ball are puzzling, because if they were both on the same team right now, Baez would push Castro to another position (not the other-way around). The player that Baez reminds me of (at a similar age) would be Alex Rodriguez, but without A-Rod's patience at the plate. Baez hates to take a walk, and he needs to work on learning to let pitches that are out of the strike-zone go by. Baez is high-strung and sometimes even combative, and he is hyper-aggressive at the plate, on the bases, and in the field, but his bat-speed and HR power are very rare, and he has the speed to steal 20-30 bases. Nobody worked harder in EXST pre-game (early morning) BP, infield, and base-running drills than Javier Baez. He pushes himself very hard and expects others around him to do the same. Baez also does not suffer fools or bad baseball easily, and he is the kind of player who will not accept losing. What really impressed me with Baez was how he handled his 0-20 slump (with ten K) after beginning the Cactus League EXST season hitting for the cycle versus the Angels and going 9-15 with three doubles, with triples, and three HR in his first 15 PA. His 0-20 (10-K) slump was caused by him trying to pull everything and pulling off the ball, and so other teams suckered him and made him look foolish with a steady diet of breaking balls. But then he made an adjustment and began to intentionally hit every pitch back through the box (sometimes nearly taking the pitcher's head-off in the process), cutting his power numbers down for a while. But it got him back on track, and he hit two gargantuan 420-ft+ home runs over the right-centerfield fence and onto Field #5 (the half-field infield) located north of the clubhouse at Fitch Park last week (with Oneri Fleita watching).

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 05:37 am

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 9:58pm — George Altman Thanks, Phil. The reason for my comment of Castro at 2B and Baez at SS was I actually remembered you writing some time ago that Castro's natural position was 2B. My reasoning was if both remained with the Cubs by the time Baez was MLB-ready, he projected as a better SS than Castro. And, if Theo's crew was as astute at player development as their reputation, they would figure out Baez at SS and Castro at 2B. ================================ GEORGE A: I realize this projects a long way down the line and makes a lot of assumptions (and what happens when you assume?), but once the Soriano contract is off the books and the Cubs can concentrate on developing a lineup from within, here is what the Cubs position-players could look like in 2016: C: Welington Castillo 1B: Anthony Rizzo 2B: Starlin Castro 3B: Josh Vitters or Jeimer Candelario SS: Javier Baez LF: Brett Jackson, or Bryan LaHair, Josh Vitters, or Jeimer Candelario CF: Matt Szczur or Jae-Hoon Ha, or Brett Jackson RF: Junior Lake or Jae-Hoon Ha, or Brett Jackson BENCH: 4TH OF: Tony Campana, or B. Jackson, Ha, or Szczur (whichever one isn't a starter) 3B-1B-LF-RF: Vitters or Candelario (if not a starter), or Campana as "5th OF" UT INF: Darwin Barney, Arismendy Alcantara, Marco Hernandez, or Gioskar Amaya IF-OF: Junor Lake (if not RF), or Adrian Cardenas, Logan Watkins, Rubi Silva, or Zeke DeVoss C-1B: Steve Clevenger Obviously the Cubs could (and probably will) sign free-agents sometime over the next three or four years (including Cuban RF Jorge Soler) that would change all of this or at least kick it a year or two further down the line. Some of them will wash out (perhaps even some thought of now as "sure things") or get traded for pitching, and there could be a surprise or two who will suddenly and unexpectedly emerge as a prospect (like Geovany Soto did in 2007). I'm just projecting the players who are presently in the Cubs system and (AS OF NOW) where it appears they would fit-in IF (and that's a big "IF" folks) they all somehow were to make it to the big leagues (which is unlikely to happen).

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 05:06 am

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:23pm — Raisin101 New Thus far, Lake has been racking up the errors at 3B. Obviously he's new to the position but if he struggles there and his strides on offense are real, he could work in RF (especially with that rifle of an arm). ======================================== RAISIN: Absolutely. If Lake hits well enough to be an everyday MLB player (or even a platoon player), it will almost certainly be in RF. Lake is not a good defensive player, but he has one of the best arms in baseball. As long as he keeps hitting (with power) and continues to make strides with his approach at the plate (i. e. takes walks and lays off pitches he can't hit), I would expect him to be moved to RF by next season, or possibly at Instructs post-2012.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:35 pm (view)

    jdrnym: 

    As you know, the abbreviation "DFA" stands for "Designated for Assignment." 

    There are three types of assignments: 

    1. Trade Assignment (when a player is traded from one MLB club to another)
    2. Outright Assignment (when a player is sent to the club's minor league Domestic Reserve List after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured).
    3. Optional Assignment (when a player is optioned to the minors, subject to being recalled at a later time). 

    So when a player is Designated for Assignment, the player can either be traded, outrighted to the minors, or optioned to the minors. 

    Normally a player is not Designated for Assignment and then optioned to the minors, because the club could just option the player to the minors immediately without a DFA.

    Back in the day It was not that unusual for a player to be Designated for Assignment so that Optional Assignment Waivers could be secured (Optional Assignment Waivers were required before certain players could be optioned to the minors, and just like the old Trade Assignment Waivers, Optional Assignment Waivers were revocable if a player was claimed). Optional Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2016 and Trade Assignment Waivers were eliminated in 2021, so all revocable waivers have been eliminated. What's left are Outright Assignment Waivers and Outright Release Waivers, and both are irrevocable once requested.  

    With the new five option limit whereby a player can (with a couple of exceptions) be optioned to the minors no more than five times in a given season before Outright Assignment Waivers must be secured (and it - IS - Outright Assignment Waivers that must be secured, even though it is for the purpose of an Optional Assignment), it now might be necessary for a club to DFA a player to clear a spot on the MLB 26-man roster (MLB 28-man roster in September) for another player and to allow for the two days (actually 47 hours) required to run a player through waivers. After the two day Waiver Claiming Period concludes (and presuming the player isn't claimed), the player can be returned to the MLB 40-man roster and optioned to the minors (even after being Designated for Assignment). But for that to happen, the player can - NOT - be replaced on the MLB 40-man roster by another player after being Designated for Assignment.  

    However, in the case of Jordan Luplow, he had - NOT - been optioned to the minors five times in the 2023 season prior to be optioned to AAA Rochester on 9/18, so the Twins did not need to DFA Luplow in order to secure Outright Assignment Waivers so that he could be optioned to the minors a sixth time. But because he was Designated for Assignment and not replaced on the 40 by another player after the DFA, the Twins could option him to the minors (and return him to the 40) even after he was Designated for Assignment, because an Optional Assignment is one of the three types of assignments.

    So Luplow was Designated for Assignment even though he didn't need to be, and then the Twins returned him to their MLB 40-man roster and optioned him to the minors a couple of days later (which they can do, since Luplow wasn't replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment). What the Twins did (DFA Luplow and then option him to the minors a couple of days later) was within the rules. It's just very odd and doesn't make a lot of sense. 

    So I will offer the most logical reason I can think of to explain why the Twins did this:  

    The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they intended to reinstate Chris Paddack from the 60-day IL, but then Carlos Correa suddenly needed to go on the 10-day IL and so they decided they wanted to keep Luplow on the 40-man roster (and on Optional Assignment to AAA) and didn't want to risk losing him off waivers or by him electing free-agency after being outrighted. Luplow has Article XX-D rights (he has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career), so he would had the right to elect free-agency after he was outrighted. There was also the possibility that he would have been claimed of waivers, and obviously the Twins felt they might need his RH bat after losing Correa and with Royce Lewis having left a game with a hamstring injury that led to an IL assignment. 

    Also, if Luplow was outrighted instead of being optioned, he would no longer be automatically eligible to play in the post-season (except as a possible injury replacement).

    Not only did Carlos Correa go on the IL, Royce Lewis went on the IL, too, two days after Correa went on the IL and two days after Luplow was optioned to AAA Rochester, so the Twins did in fact end up needing Luplow after all, and recalled him just a couple of days after he was optioned to replace Lewis on the MLB 28-man roster. 

    So that all I've got. That is the only thing that makes sense. The Twins DFA'd Luplow because they had intended to replace him on the 40 with another player (probably Paddack) and hoped that they would be able to run him through waivers and that he wouldn't get claimed and that he would accept an Outright Assignment, but then they suddenly changed their minds because of the injury to Correa and the possibility that Lewis might also have to go on the IL (which did, in fact, happen the next day).

    So the Twins returned Luplow to the 40 (because he hadn't been replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment), optioned him to the minors, and then recalled him after Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:00 pm (view)

    CIN out here blowing a 9-0 lead they built through 3 innings.  9-9 tie in the 7th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:05 pm (view)

    boxburger 10d IL, k.thompson back up.  it's his right forearm (again).

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:12 pm (view)

    merryweather got out of it, but he loaded the bases with 1 out.  of course ross got cuas up in the pen...thankfully he didn't need to come in.

    looks like cuas gets the 9th.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:46 pm (view)

    4ip 2h 0bb 6k, 49 pitches.  no idea why they're giving the pen the last 2 innings when he's out there dealing like this and only threw 49 pitches.  he was supposed to pitch tomorrow and he's fresh.

  • crunch 09/23/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    ...and assad is now a pen arm, evidently...odd move given recent success.  i guess wicks starts tomorrow?

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:16 pm (view)

    ARZ, MIA, and CIN all lose.  nice.

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:54 pm (view)

    stroman is now the saturday starter...okay, then.

  • jdrnym 09/22/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    Phil,

    Jordan Luplow was DFA'd by the Twins on Monday and was ultimately optioned and then recalled today. I didn't think that was possible since optional waivers were eliminated years ago. How did that work for the Twins?

  • crunch 09/22/2023 - 09:47 pm (view)

    it's september and i have a legit reason to root for CIN, MIA, and ARZ to lose games.  2023 is an interesting time for baseball.

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