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

Eloy Jimenez

Eloy Back in the Outfield at Extended Spring Training

Kwangmin Kwon (RBI triple), Christopher Morel (RBI double), and Franklin Tineo (two-run single) stroked run-scoring hits, Tolly Filotei tripled and singled and scored a run, Fernando Kelli singled and doubled and scored a run, catcher Miguel Amaya walked, singled, scored a run, and threw-out two runners on the bases, and LHSP Ryan Kellogg tossed three innings of shutout ball, as the Cubs took an early lead and then held-on to edge the Diamondbacks 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Billy Endris belted a solo HR for the D'backs in a losing cause.

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL) saw his first game action in the outfield since suffering a right shoulder injury in an MLB Cactus League Spring Training game on March 14th. He played RF for three innings and then moved to a DH slot, getting three AB and going 0-2 with a sac fly RBI.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Cubs Squeeze Giant Orange at Riverview Park

Catcher Miguel Amaya smacked a two-run HR and threw out four runners on the bases, Chris Dominguez (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL) doubled, singled, walked, and scored a run, Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee DL - right knee) doubled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder) belted a broken-bat RBI double off the LF fence and walked, Orian Nunez drilled an opposite-field two-run double, and six pitchers combined to toss a four-hitter, leading the Cubs to a 7-1 victory over the Giants "orange" squad in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

The Cubs slugged eight extra base hits in the game, including six doubles, a triple, and a home run.     

Cubs top prospect Eloy Jimenez saw his first game action since injuring his right shoulder in an MLB Cactus League Spring Training game at Sloan Park on March 14th. While he is able to hit, run, and field, he is not throwing at this point, and so he is restricted to being a DH in games.   

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

The Bryan Hudson Ground Ball Machine Chews Up A's at Extended Spring Training

LHSP Bryan Hudson hurled six innings of two-hit shutout ball with six strikeouts, no walks, and a 10/0 GO/AO, Michael Cruz drilled a triple and two singles and scored two runs, Andruw Monasterio doubled twice and scored a run, and Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - knee injury) reached base four times (two singles and two walks), as the Cubs edged the Athletics 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Opening Day game action this morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

The 6'8 Hudson (Cubs 2015 3rd round draft pick - Alton HS - Alton, IL) was an absolute ground-ball machine, mixing an 87-89 MPH sinker, a plus-curve, and an occasional change-up to keep the A's hitters off-balance and constantly beating pitches into the ground. He also threw 70% strikes and averaged only 11.5 pitches-per-inning. Hudson's outing was simply one of the best performances by a starting pitcher in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game I have ever witnessed (and I have seen many good ones over the last 40 years). There were three or four scouts from other MLB clubs in attendance at the game watching Hudson work, and I would think they probably came away favorably impressed as well. 

Prior to the game, the six newly-arrived pitchers from the Cubs Dominican Academy (LHP Faustino Carrera, RHP Hector Garcia, RHP Fauris Guerrero, LHP Brailyn Marquez, RHP Yunior Perez, and RHP Eury Ramos) threw "live" BP on Field #5. Each pitcher threw one inning (20 pitches). All six were at post-2016 AZ Instructs, so they have been at the Cubs Mesa facility before. Two other pitchers who attended post-2016 AZ Instructs (RHP Alfredo Colorado and Carlos Ocampo) were supposedly going to be at Extended Spring Training, too, but both will be remaining at the Cubs Dominican Academy.  

Also, Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder bruise) began taking BP this morning, as he gets himself into playing shape prior to playing in EXST games and (eventually) re-joining the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. However, he still is not throwing. Prior to today, Eloy had been participating in baserunning and outfield drills (without throwing), and he was "tracking" pitches in BP but not taking swings. So at least now he is able to swing the bat. Because the DH is used in the Carolina League, it's possible that Eloy could move-up to Myrtle Beach and be the DH even if he is unable to throw, although the Cubs will probably want him to complete the Rehab Throwing Program before he departs.

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Hannemann Back in Action at Extended Spring Training

Andruw Monasterio drilled a two-run home run and a single, walked, and stole two bases, and Yapson Gomez and two relievers combined to hurl a three-hit shutout, as the Eugene Emeralds blanked the Mesa Cubs 7-0 in Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Wednesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game could get their work. 

Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - knee injury) played CF for Mesa and batted five times (once in each of the first five innings), collecting all three Mesa hits (two doubles and a single).

LHP Jose Paulino was notified during the game that he is being moved-up from Extended Spring Training, but he doesn't know if he is going to South Bend or to Myrtle Beach. (Players who started the season on a minor league 7-day DL cannot be reinstated until tomorrow). Paulino threw a "live" BP session on Field #6 last week and looked very good, so it's not surprising that he will be moving up.  

And based on how he looked today, I would say Jacob Hannemann probably won't be down here much lomger, either. 

Meanwhile, OF Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder bruise) is bunting in the cages and catching fly balls in outfield drills, but he is not hitting or throwing at this point. In "live" BP he's been standing in the box tracking pitches, but he doesn't swing. Hopefully he will be able to do more soon. 

INF Chris Dominguez (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL) is taking BP and is fielding grounders at 3B and 1B, but he hasn't played in any games yet.  Dominguez hit 282/317/538 with two HR and four doubles in 22 MLB Cactus League Spring Training games, and is projected to play the infield corners (1B-3B) at Iowa in 2017.    

The Cubs are trying Kevin Zamudio (2015 IFA - Mexico) at catcher again in pre-game drills (he hasn't caught in a game yet). He was a catcher when he first reported to Mesa last year, but then he was moved to corner infield (1B-3B) after he struggled behind the plate. The 19-year old Zamudio has plus raw power, and so it would be good for his career going forward if he can maybe be a C-1B-3B.    

Joe Martarano took pre-game BP again today but did not play in the game, and he is playing 1B in infield practice (one of the reasons Zamudio was moved back to catcher). Martarano was a third-baseman in HS and in his first year in pro ball (2014), but then was moved to 1B in 2015 and he hasn't played 3B since. However, it is expected that he will play both 1B and corner OF in Extended Spring Training (although he hasn't taken any fly balls yet), and if he proves he can handle OF (he is an athletic 6'4 240 with a third-baseman's arm), he conceivably could eventually morph into a "four-corner" player (1B-3B-LF-RF), or at least a 1B-LF-RF if 3B is too much of a problem for him defensively.  

Here is the box score from today's game: 

Cubs Tie Bees While 66ers Blank Pelicans at Diablo

Matt Rose belted an RBI double, singled, and stole a base, Eloy Jimenez singled twice and scored a run, and Justin Steele and Kyle Twomey combined to toss a five-hitter for the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs), while Michael Pierson ripped an RBI single and walked and SP Joe Gatto fanned seven in 4.1 IP for the Burlington Bees (Lo-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels), as the Bees and Cubs played to a 1-1 tie on Field #4, and Trever Allen drove-in two runs with a SF and an RBI double and Jake Jewell and four relievers combined to hurl a four-hit shutout, as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) blanked the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) 3-0 on Field #7, in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action this morning at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.  

It was a "bullpen day" for Myrtle Beach, as six Pelican relievers threw in the game on Field #7.  

Four position players (INF David Bote, C-1B Alberto Mineo, OF Kevonte Mitchell, and INF Sutton Whiting) were moved-up from the Eugene/Mesa group (Extended Spring Training) for the day, providing additional roster depth for the Pelicans and SB-Cubs. 

In Minor League Camp roster news, INF Danny Lockhart has been moved-down to Myrtle Beach from AA Tennessee. (Lockhart spent the 2015 season at Myrtle Beach). 

Cubs Minor League Camp Rosters
Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart 
(both updated daily) 

Still waiting for final minor league roster cuts, moves, and adjustments, although several pitchers and position players presently on the Iowa, Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, and South Bend active lists will likely be temporarily assigned to Eugene (AKA "Extended Spring Training") for a few days until further disposition can be determined. Last year, about a dozen pitchers and position players were left behind at EXST simply because there was no room for them on a full-season club's Opening Day roster, but the Cubs did not want to release them, either.     

Also, the Cubs will likely assign one position player (typically either a back-up catcher or multi-postional utility-type player) to each of the four full-season affiliates as a "player-coach," with the player inactive (usually by being placed on the club's 7-day DL with some vague soft-tissue injury) but staying in playing shape so that he can be activated in case another player goes on the DL. Last year, IF-OF Jonathan Mota (Iowa), C Tyler Pearson (Tennessee), C-1B Alberto Mineo (Myrtle Beach), and C Erick Castillo (South Bend) were the player-coaches for the four full-season teams, and RHP Jose Zapata (who was unable to pitch due to a broken neck suffered in a car crash post-2013) served as a player-coach (assistant pitching coach) with the short-season AZL Cubs.  

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

Eloy, Happ, Freitas, and Carhart Go Yard at Minor League Camp

Eloy Jimenez belted a two-run 1st inning home run, P. J. Higgins collected four hits (three singles and a triple), scored a run, and drove-in another, and SP Preston Morrison tossed five innings of shutout ball, leading the South Bend Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Field #4, and David Freitas clubbed a two-run 1st inning HR (his second round-tripper in two days) and Billy McKinney drilled a tie-breaking RBI single in the 6th, as the Tennessee Smokies edged the Iowa Cubs 3-2 on Field #6, in Minor League Camp game action Friday morning at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Ian Happ smacked a solo HR for Myrtle Beach in a losing cause on Field #4, and Ben Carhart hammered a solo home run in a losing cause for Iowa on Field #6. (Carhart was temporarily moved-up to the Iowa squad from Tennessee because the three catchers assigned to Iowa are in Las Vegas with the parent club). 

The game on Field #6 was called after seven innings of play. 

There were a number of roster moves made at Minor League Camp prior to the two games, with the Opening Day rosters of the four full-season clubs (particularly regarding position players and starting pitchers) becoming a bit more clear. There are still a few more moves/cuts to be made, however, especially involving the AAA Iowa and Hi-A Myrtle Beach bullpens and the Iowa outfield, and it's always possible that some of the assignments could be changed at the last minute due to injuries or other factors.     

Cubs Minor League Camp Rosters
Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart 
(both updated daily) 

Also, 18 players who are assigned to the Cubs Dominican Acdemy but who were not invited to Minor League Camp will be attending Extended Spring Training and will be arriving over the next several days. The first three (LHP Pablo Ochoa, LHP Eugenio Palma, and RHP Andri Rondon) arrived today. Ochoa and A. Rondon attended Instructs in Mesa last Fall, but Palma is making his U. S. debut. 

Here are the box scores from the two games: 

Four-Run 7th Lifts South Bend Cubs Past Bees at Diablo

P. J. Higgins grounded an RBI single through the 3.5 hole to plate the first run of the inning and Ho-Young Son followed with a bases-loaded triple into the left-centerfield gap to score three more, as the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) rallied for four runs in the 7th and defeated the Burlington Bees (Los Angeles Angels Lo-A affiliate) 7-4 on Field #4, and Brendan Sanger and Hutton Moyer belted back-to-back RBI triples to highlight a three-run 3rd and RHSP Tyler Carpenter hurled four innings of shutout ball, as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) defeated the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) 5-3 on Field #7, in Cactus League Minor League game action Friday afternoon at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.   

Besides the four-run rally in the 7th, Carlos Sepulveda doubled twice and scored a run and Kevonte Mitchell belted an RBI triple, walked, and cut-down a baserunner 9-5 attempting to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single to right for the SB-Cubs. 

RHSP Jake Stinnett had a rough outing for Myrtle Beach, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits (including the back-to-back RBI triples), a walk, and a WP in 4.0 IP (61 pitches).

Among the more-notable Cub position player prospects playing in the two games, Ian Happ played 2B and went 0-2 with two walks, a strikeout (swinging), and a 1-3 bounce-out (slamming his bat into the ground in frustration before starting for 1st) and an E-4 fielding miscue (which led to an unearned run scoring), Donnie Dewees served as a DH and reached base three times (two singles and a walk), Eddy Julio Martinez also served as a DH and drilled a ringing RBI double (near HR) off the LF wall, and Eloy Jimenez played LF and went 1-3 (double into to the LF corner, walk, and a run scored).   

Angelo Amendolare, Vimael Machin, Alberto Mineo, Andruw Monasterio, and Ho-Young Son were moved-up from the Eugene/Mesa group for the day to augment the South Bend and Myrtle Beach rosters.

Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

Eloy No Joy for Bees at Riverview Park

Trevor Clifton and Adbert Alzolay combined to hurl six innings of two-hit shutout baseball and three relievers followed with three more innings of no-hit ball, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) two-hit the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) 4-2 on Field #5, and Eloy Jimenez slugged a two-run home run to cap a three-run 1st and Ricardo Marcano belted a two-run HR in the 7th (the Jimenez bomb carrying 420+ feet over the CF fence just to left of the Batter's Eye), leading the South Bend Cubs (the Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to a 7-3 victory over the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) on Field #6, in a Cactus League Minor League Camp doubleheader played Thursday afternoon at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Yasiel Balaguert collected two doubles and an RBI for Myrtle Beach, and Kevonte Mitchell singled twice, walked, scored two runs, and stole a base (home, on the back-end of a double-steal) for South Bend.

RHRP Alexander Santana had an unusual outing for Myrtle Beach, working the 9th inning of the game on Field #5. Santana entered the game with a 4-0 lead, and proceeded to hit three batters and throw two wild pitches, and of the 16 pitches he threw in the inning, only two were strikes. But he never-the-less somehow managed to record three outs, because the two strikes both turned into 5-3 ground outs, and the third out was a game-ending caught-stealng at 3rd base on a ball-three pitch with the potential tying run at the plate.  

OF Alex Bautista, 1B-OF Chris Pieters, and INF Edgar Rondon were moved-up from the South Bend group to the Myrtle Beach squad for the game, and all three entered the game as late-inning replacements for the Pelicans.

Myrtle Beach 2B Ian Happ and SS Gleyber Torres (who are two of the Cubs Top 5 prospects) were absent from Minor League Camp on Thursday, as they traveled with the big league club to Salt River Fields for a morning Cactus League "B" game versus the Colorado Rockies.  

Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)


Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

Late Rally Helps Emeralds Sparkle at Riverview

Kevonte Mitchell smashed a solo HR to lead-off the inning and Frandy de la Rosa belted a two-run triple and scored on a WP to highlight a four-run 8th, as the Eugene Emeralds rallied to defeat the Mesa Cubs 5-3 in Extended Spring Training intrasquad action this morning on Field #1 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park. 

Eloy Jimenez reached base four times (two singles and two walks) for Eugene, Yohan Matos slugged a solo HR and singled twice for the Mesa Cubs, and the two starting pitchers (LHP Justin Steele and RHP Oscar de la Cruz) combined to hurl six innings of shutout ball.

Mesa Cubs LF Jose Paniagua left the game after being hit on the helmet by a Daniel Bard fastball in the top of the 4th. (Bard was pulled out of the game after throwing only eight pitches).

Mike Olt (on Cubs MLB 15-day DL - broken right wrist) took pre-game BP but did not play in the game.

In EXST Cubs roster news, OF Shawon Dunston (on Myrtle Beach 7-day since April 23rd with a right shoulder injury) has completed his rehab and has returned to the Pelicans, and C-1B Alberto Mineo has been moved-up to Myrtle Beach.

Mineo will be inactive at MB (technically he's on the Eugene Reserve List) and will serve as a bullpen catcher for the Pelicans, but he can be activated if necessary.

Here is the abridged box score from today's game, followed by the updated Cubs Extended Spring Training roster: 

Giants Rally to Edge Cubs at Riverview

1B (ex-LHP) Nick Jones reached base four times (two singles and two walks) and drove-in what proved to be the game-winning run, Nathaniel Javier drilled a two-run double, singled, and scored two runs, and Julio Pena singled twice, knocked-in two runs, and scored another, as the Giants rallied from a 7-2 deficit to edge the Cubs 8-7 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #1 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park.  

Eloy Jimenez belted a solo HR, Adonis Paula hammered a two-run double, singled twice, and scored a run, and Shawon Dunston Jr singled twice, stole a base, and scored two runs for the Cubs in a losing cause.  

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only) 

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil 09/24/2023 - 09:09 pm (view)

    With two more HR on Sunday versus Houston, Nelson Velazquez now has 17 HR in 49 MLB games this season (pro-rates out to 56 HR in 162 games). 

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:52 pm (view)

    cubs win...so do MIA and CIN,.  ARZ is close to winning (up by 6 in the 8th).  total wash of a day.

    off day tomorrow then it's the last week of baseball...not an easy one vs MIL and ATL.  last-week drama...

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:47 pm (view)

    merryweather puts the first couple guys on with 0 outs...and smyly is up in the pen.  back end of the pen situation is a mess.

  • crunch 09/24/2023 - 09:31 pm (view)

    "Coming into the game, they were 0-819 when trailing by nine runs or more."  damn.

  • Charlie 09/24/2023 - 09:48 am (view)

    I wonder how many pitchers have missed this much time in a relatively short span with recurring forearm issues and not had it lead to surgery.

  • Cubster 09/24/2023 - 09:34 am (view)

    Historic win for Pirates...

    https://www.mlb.com/news/pirates-mount-historic-rally-to-beat-reds?part…

  • Arizona Phil 09/23/2023 - 09:02 pm (view)

    The deadline for trading players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and players who were outrighted to the minors after signing a 2023 MLB contract was August 1st, but trades involving players on a minor league reserve list are prohibited beginning at 12 PM (Eastern) on the 7th day prior to the originally-scheduled conclusion of the 2023 MLB regular season (Sunday 9/24) through the last day of the MLB regular season (including a day on which a regular season game is played after the originally-scheduled conclusion of the MLB regular season).   
     

  • Arizona Phil 09/24/2023 - 09:41 am (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).

    https://www.thecubreporter.com/why-player-designated-assignment-and-the…

    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 (cannot be withdrawn) once requested.  

    With the new five option limit whereby a player can 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 St. Paul 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 return him to the 40 and option him to the minors 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 return him to the 40 and 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 what I believe is the most logical reason 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 they recalled Trevor Larnach to replace Correa, but then they probably decided they should keep Luplow on the 40-man roster, too (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). Clearly the Twins felt they might need Luplow's RH bat after losing Correa and with Royce Lewis having left a game with a hamstring injury that led to an IL assignment. And that meant that Paddack would remain on his minor league rehab assignment a few extra days, but the Twins will need him in the post-season, not now. 

    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, 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 both Larnach and Luplow were recalled within a couple of days of each other, replacing Correa and Lewis on the Twins MLB 28-man roster).  

    So that's 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). Also, with the injuries to Correa and Lewis, the Twins wanted Luplow to remain automatically post-season eligible, which would not be the case if he was outrighted.  

    Again, the Twins were able to return Luplow to the 40 and option him to AAA because he hadn't been replaced on the 40 by another player after he was Designated for Assignment. 

  • 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).