Brandon Morrow

Cubs Reportedly Release Brandon Morrow

Brandon Morrow was given another chance to crack the Chicago Cubs’ roster this spring after having his option declined over the offseason, but it appears he’s reached the end of the line with the franchise, as the team is reportedly releasing him.

The news was first reported by MLB Insider Robert Murray:

Before the team's summer camp began, President Theo Epstein said that the club didn't anticipate that Morrow would be in the mix for a roster spot this season.

“We didn’t see that there’s a realistic scenario where he would contribute this year,” Epstein told reporters, including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, before summer camp began. “We certainly wish him the best going forward, in and out of baseball.”

Morrow, who signed a two-year contract with the Cubs prior to the 2018 season, was plagued by injuries throughout his time with the North Siders. During the 2018 season he appeared in 30 games, posting a 1.47 ERA and recording 22 saves, but injuries derailed his season, forcing him to miss the final two and a half months of the campaign.

Elbow problems forced him to miss the beginning of the 2019 season, and the issues persisted until the very end, as the team ruled him out for the remainder of the year in August.

After the Cubs declined his third-year option, they signed Morrow to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before the 2020 season. He did not end up appearing in any Cactus League games before play was halted in mid-March due to the coronavirus.

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