Proper-hander Jorge López has agreed to a minor league cope with the Cubs, in accordance with a report from Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic on X. The righty is anticipated to report back to the membership’s Arizona advanced, per Sammon and Mooney at The Athletic.
López, 31, was just lately launched by the Mets after an uncommon scene. Throughout a tough outing in opposition to the Dodgers, he argued with umpires and was ejected. Whereas leaving the sector, he tossed his glove into the gang and untucked his shirt.
Issues took one other unusual flip after the sport. The Puerto Rican-born López spoke with reporters in English with out an interpreter current, saying he didn’t remorse his actions. He additionally mentioned he had not spoken with supervisor Carlos Mendoza or president of baseball operations David Stearns in regards to the outburst, although this was contradicted by others. There was additionally some confusion about one thing else he mentioned to reporters, as some thought he was calling the Mets “the worst —-ing crew” in MLB, however later clarified he was truly calling himself the “worst teammate” within the league.
In spite of everything of that, some within the baseball world tried to place a highlight on the challenges López has confronted. He has a toddler with vital medical problems that’s at the moment on a transplant checklist and ready for a donor, whereas the elder López additionally missed a while final 12 months as a result of his psychological well being. Whatever the explanations, the Mets thought of his conduct unacceptable. He was designated for project and launched, sending him out to free company and holding the Mets on the hook for many of his $2MM wage. The Cubs will carry him into the group, although he has not but been added to that membership’s roster.
López had a stint as one of many higher relievers within the league a couple of years in the past, however with extra middling outcomes since then. After years as a starter with out a number of success, the Orioles moved him to a bullpen function in 2022 and he discovered instant success. He tossed 48 1/3 innings for the O’s that 12 months, permitting simply 1.68 earned runs per 9 frames. He struck out 27.6% of batters confronted, gave out walks at an 8.7% tempo and saved 60% of balls in play on the bottom.
However he was traded to the Twins at that 12 months’s deadline, with the outcomes falling off from there. From that commerce to the current, he has a 5.08 ERA, 18% strikeout price, 9.8% stroll price and 48% floor ball price. That features his 3.76 ERA with the Mets this 12 months previous to his launch, although his 17.1% strikeout price and 44.2% floor ball price this season are nonetheless fairly removed from his peak.
Although the numbers haven’t been superb these days, there’s sense within the Cubs bringing him aboard. There’s no hurt in having a look on a minor league deal and López wouldn’t actually value them something even when added to the roster. They’d solely must pay the prorated league minimal for any time López is on the membership, with that quantity subtracted from what the Mets pay.
The bullpen has been a difficulty for the Cubs this 12 months, with the relievers having a collective ERA of 4.47, which places them twenty fourth out of the 30 golf equipment within the league. Guys like Adbert Alzolay, Yency Almonte, Julian Merryweather and Keegan Thompson are all at the moment on the injured checklist. López may give them a lift if he’s in a position to make any kind of motion in the direction of his earlier type.