Miguel Montero to be Designated for Assignment: Reports
By James Neveau ••
Catcher Miguel Montero speaks from the locker room after the Cubs’ loss to the Nationals Tuesday night.
Less than 24 hours after he blasted Jake Arrieta and allowed seven stolen bases, Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Montero is reportedly heading out of town.
According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers and Buster Olney, Montero will be designated for assignment by the Cubs on Wednesday. The catcher, who was batting .286 with four home runs and eight RBI this season, will be sent out and will be replaced by Victor Caratini, according to reports.
Numerous Chicago athletes have been traded away in recent months, but the question on the minds of plenty of fans in the Windy City is this: which athlete will be the most missed by their respective team? nnHere, we list our candidates for that distinction.
Getty Images
Butler’s absence leaves the Bulls with a gaping hole in their starting lineup, and it also could signal a rebuilding effort as the team tries to eventually become more competitive in the Eastern Conference. nnDwyane Wade could help soften the blow a bit, but his age could be a concern as he’ll likely be more of a mentor than an actual superstar for the Bulls next season.
Getty Images
The Cubs’ sparkplug last season was unquestionably Fowler, and they have churned through lead-off hitter candidates since he left town. Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist, and Anthony Rizzo have all gotten opportunities to lead off games, but the team’s offense just hasn’t been the same since Fowler signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
A member of the Blackhawks for a decade, Hjalmarsson could always be counted on for strong defense and for his proficiency in blocking shots. He ended up winning three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in his career, and his abilities as a defender will be hard to replicate as the team is hard up against the salary cap going into the 2017-18 season.
Getty
There is a massive changing of the guard going on at Soldier Field in the coming year, and Jeffery could be the most difficult man to replace among all of the departed former Bears. The team doesn’t exactly have a wide receiver that will be able to step into his cleats, with Kevin White constantly facing injury issues and players like Cameron Meredith still relatively unproven in terms of consistent production.
Getty Images
Panarin signed with the Blackhawks prior to the 2015-16 season, and he made a massive impact on the team’s offense in his short stay in Chicago. He scored 61 goals and dished out 90 assists in 162 games, and he was a huge threat on the power play as he racked up 17 power play goals in two seasons. nnHis production will be very difficult to replace, and youngsters like Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat could be called upon to step into his role alongside Patrick Kane.
Getty Images
The White Sox entered a rebuilding mode of their own when they dealt Sale away in December, and he’s gone out of his way to prove that they would miss him. He currently has a 9-3 record with 2.85 ERA and a staggering 146 strikeouts in just 15 starts this season.
Montero criticized Arrieta after Tuesday's game, saying that the hurler didn't hold any runners on base during the Cubs' loss to the Nationals. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo later called the comments "selfish" in a radio interview.
This isn't the first time that Montero has been critical of the Cubs either. In November, Montero criticized Cubs manager Joe Maddon for his handling of the catcher during the playoff run, saying that he was not approached about being a third-string option behind the plate.
With Montero being designated for assignment, the Cubs will have a few options. The most likely scenario sees Montero being granted his unconditional release, as he'd be a free agent at the end of the season anyway, or the Cubs could send him to Iowa, but it's highly unlikely Montero would accept that assignment.
We will have more on this breaking story as it develops.
