Chicago Cubs Claim Johnny Field Off Waivers From Twins
Field hit nine home runs last season for the Twins and Rays
By James Neveau ••
The Chicago Cubs could be active this offseason, and here are five big-name players they could go after in free agency.
The Chicago Cubs have made another roster move ahead of free agency, claiming outfielder Johnny Field off of waivers from the Minnesota Twins.
Field played in 83 games during the 2018 season with the Twins and Tampa Bay Rays, hitting .222 with nine home runs and 21 RBI. He primarily played the corner outfield spots for both teams, but also appeared in 15 games in center field.
With the addition of Field to their 40-man roster, the Cubs now have 36 players under contract.
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CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 29: Cole Hamels #35 of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Wrigley Field on September 29, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.
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Bass appeared in a total of 16 games for the Cubs in 2018, posting a 2.93 ERA and striking out 14 batters in 15.1 innings. He made just over $500,000 last season, but it’s unclear whether the team will retain him.
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After making just $1.5 million, Chavez could potentially get a bit of a raise after a strong finish with the Cubs, posting a 2-1 record and a 1.15 ERA in 32 appearances on the North Side.
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After signing a one-year deal with the Cubs this summer, Garcia will once again be a free agent. He had an 0-1 record and a 4.70 ERA in eight appearances with the Cubs, striking out four batters in 7.2 innings.
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Hamels has a team option for the 2019 season, and if the Cubs pick it up, he would be paid $20 million. If the team decides not to pick the option up, Hamels will receive a $6 million buyout, and the Texas Rangers would pay him that money.
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The contract Heyward signed with the Cubs included two opt-out clauses, and he can exercise it after this season. It is a virtual certainty that he will not do so, given that he is still due $118.5 million over the next five seasons on the North Side.
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Murphy got off to a red hot start for the Cubs, but cooled off considerably at the end of the season, ending up with six home runs and a .297 batting average in 146 plate appearances after being acquired in a trade with the Nationals.
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Wilson was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins before the waiver trade deadline, but never saw action with the Cubs after being activated from the disabled list.
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Wilson had a solid rebound season for the Cubs after a disastrous 2017, posting a 3.46 ERA in 71 appearances with the team. Most fans will remember his struggles in the NL tiebreaker game against the Brewers, but his walk rate was nearly cut in half from 2017, and he still struck out plenty of batters, averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
The team will still have a decision to make in the coming days for Cole Hamels, who has a contract option for the 2019 season.
The Cubs also have a slew of pitchers on the 60-day disabled list, including Yu Darvish, Justin Hancock, Brandon Morrow, and Drew Smyly, and will have tough decisions ahead of them when they move to activate them before the 2019 campaign.
