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While it comes up against, for obvious reasons, considerably less cursed, foggy-eyed memories, the Cubs have now officially lost a second member of their rotation overnight.
Tyler Chatwood, a free agent like Jon Lester, has now left to join the Blue Jays:
The source confirms: free agent right-hander Tyler Chatwood in agreement with the Blue Jays, on physical hold. First: @JonHeyman.
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 19, 2021
The deal earns him $ 3 million with incentives that can take it to $ 5.5 million, per source. https://t.co/BzapAchZx5
– Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) January 19, 2021
Unlike Lester, who just signed with the Nationals, there wasn’t much talk about the Cubs trying to reconnect with Chatwood, whose three-year deal had just expired. Vexing in many ways, Chatwood was alternately too savage to use and terribly mean. The stuff, the mix, the velocity, and the spin were all screaming ahead of the spin, but the ability to harness it all – and stay healthy – was lacking. The Cubs took a big risk on the business and youth of Chatwood three years ago, and in the end it didn’t pay off.
None of this is to say he couldn’t be very good yet. We had flashes of it as recently as 2020 – remember how he added that disgusting slider-cut hybrid? – and if he stays healthy and locates A LITTLE, he could be very good. If he wasn’t already on the Cubs, I think many of us would have considered him an ideal candidate for the Cubs.
So based on the last few hours, I’m assuming Jose Quintana will be signing with someone in about 45 minutes?
Either way, the Cubs have about two, three, or four innings starters to cover in 2021 (as in, even after Hendricks / Davies / Alzolay / Mills), and although some of them will be from the inside their upper level arms – Cory Abbott, Tyson Miller, Keegan Thompson, Justin Steele, etc. – some will have to come from external additions. Shelby Miller cannot and will not be counted to be the magnitude of it.
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