Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs made their first free agent signing of the offseason, getting infielder Daniel Descalso, who played the past couple years with the Diamondbacks.
The versatile infielder will ideally be a bench player for the Cubs, who can provide plenty of flexibility on the roster. His contract is only guaranteed for two years. He has a club option for 2021, but the Cubs can buy that out for $1 million.
Sources: Descalso deal with #Cubs is two years, $5M with a club option fo 2021.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2018
Option for 2021 in Descalso’s contract with #Cubs is worth $3.5M. Team can also buy him out for $1M. Potential overall value, with performance bonuses, is $8.25M. Descalso gets a 49.25 percent increase over the $1.675 AAV in his previous two-year deal with #DBacks.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2018
Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
Not really sure why some Cubs fans are freaking out over this signing. He’s a depth player and that contract is cheap as hell.
Yes, if Descalso for whatever reasons becomes an every day starter then yeah, bitch all you want. But for now he’s a solid bench guy and an upgrade over Tommy La Stella.
The question going forward remains what this means for Addison Russell and David Bote. Russell will be suspended through the first week of May, but does this mean he’s now more likely to be gone? Or what about Bote, who played great defense with the Cubs in 2018, but struggled at the end on offense. Will he stay on the 25-man roster, or maybe go back and forth from Iowa to Chicago throughout 2019?
Hopefully this doesn’t mean the Cubs try and unload Ben Zobrist and the final year of his contract just for some payroll relief.
But again, it’s a cheap two year deal for a good upgrade. So, nice move.
Jon says the deal is done. No official word from the Cubs yet. Descalso can play multiple positions and posted a 111 wRC+ last year. Saw FB% (46.3% in '18 vs. 36.9 for career) and HR/FB rate (11.4 in '18 vs. 6.9 for career) spike last season. https://t.co/wrzbTIMN8y
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) December 18, 2018
It’s not flashy, but it’s a great move for the major league roster.
