ROSTER MOVES
March 25: RHP Cory Abbott, OF Greg Deichmann optioned to Triple-A Iowa
Both Abbott and Deichmann got a taste of the Majors last season for the Cubs, and each offers a layer of depth. Abbott, 26, had 130 strikeouts in 96 innings at Triple-A Iowa last season and will serve as rotation depth. Deichmann, acquired at the 2021
Trade Deadline in the deal that sent lefty Andrew Chafin to Oakland, hit .274 with 34 extra-base hits, 61 walks and an .823
OPS in 94 games at Triple-A last year.
-- Jordan Bastian
March 25: RHP Anderson Espinoza, LHP Brailyn Marquez optioned to Double-A Tennessee
Marquez, ranked by MLB Pipeline at
No. 10 on the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects list, recently arrived to camp after a bout with COVID-19. The big lefty was not competing for an Opening Day roster spot, so he will transition to the Minor League side to continue to prep for his season. Espinoza was acquired last July in the trade that sent outfielder Jake Marisnick to the Padres.
-- Jordan Bastian
March 25: OF Brennen Davis, RHP Ben Leeper, LHP Conner Menez, LHP Locke St. John, INF Chase Strumpf, INF Andy Weber, INF Dixon Machado reassigned to Minor League camp
Davis,
the Cubs' No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has the potential to break into the big leagues this summer, but he heads to the Minor League side to prepare for his regular season (with the likely destination of Triple-A Iowa to begin the year). Strumpf (
No. 26) and Leeper (
No. 28) are also on Pipeline's new Top 30 Cubs prospects list.
-- Jordan Bastian
March 25: INF Esteban Quiroz acquired from Rays in exchange for OF Harold Ramirez
The Cubs swung a trade with Tampa Bay to reel the lefty-hitting Quiroz, who has played mostly second base in his three U.S. Minor League seasons with the Rays, Padres and Red Sox. Last season, the 30-year-old Quiroz hit .268 with 12 homers, 19 doubles, 43 walks and a .927 OPS in 68 games for Triple-A Durham. He spent the first seven years of his professional career in the Mexican League. Ramirez was an odd man out in the Cubs' outfield logjam, and only arrived to Spring Training on March 25 after visa issues delayed his travel from Colombia. The Cubs originally acquired Ramirez in a trade with Cleveland in November.
-- Jordan Bastian
March 25: RHP Tommy Nance activated, designated for assignment
Nance appeared in 27 games last season for the Cubs, posting a 7.22 ERA. It was a tale of two seasons for the right-hander, who rose from independent ball to the Majors. He had a 0.64 ERA in his first 14 MLB games in '21, followed by a 13.50 ERA in his next 13 outings.
-- Jordan Bastian
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All Cubs transactions
INJURY UPDATES
INF David Bote (left shoulder surgery)
Expected return: TBD
Bote underwent a shoulder procedure in October, and the Cubs initially estimated a rehab period of at least six months. The utility man has been able to stay on a throwing program and has resumed light hitting and fielding drills this spring. Bote was placed on the
60-day injured list on March 19 and feels that two-month stay on the shelf should cover the time required for rehab and games buildup. Bote separated the same shoulder in late May. He returned from the IL before the end of July but sustained another setback late in the season. Bote hit .199 with eight homers, 35 RBIs and a .606 OPS in 97 games for Chicago last year. -- Jordan Bastian
(Last updated: March 25)
1B Frank Schwindel (back tightness)
Expected return: Day to day
Schwindel exited a March 20 Cactus League game after one at-bat because of what manager David Ross described as back tightness. On the morning of March 24, Schwindel said he was feeling better and had resumed hitting in the batting cage. Should he continue to progress, Schwindel could return to game action as soon as March 26. Schwindel projects to be Chicago's starting first baseman after hitting .342 with 13 homers, 19 doubles, 40 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 56 games down the stretch in 2021.
"[He's doing] good," Ross said. "He actually took swings, played catch today. Took a lot of swings, actually, and feels good. So, we'll see how he continues to progress. It's been really good the last two days." -- Jordan Bastian (
Last updated: March 24)
OF Ian Happ (right elbow)
Expected return: April
Happ was in the lineup for the Cubs as a designated hitter on March 23 for his spring debut. The outfielder underwent a "cleanup" procedure on his throwing elbow in February, but has resumed hitting and throwing. The hope is that he will be ready in time for Opening Day on April 7. Last year, Happ hit .226 with 25 homers and 66 RBIs in 148 games, but he turned it on late with a .319 average (1.045 OPS) in his final 45 games. Happ projects to be a starter for Chicago in left or center field.
"He's hitting the ground running. He's in a really good place," Cubs manager David Ross said. "It's nice to get him back in the lineup, and he'll continue to DH some, as his arm continues to bounce back. We'll get him at-bats on the Minor League side if he needs some. We want to make sure he gets going from both sides of the plate. We're going to follow that program the trainers have set forth and also push him where he feels like he can and stay healthy." -- Jordan Bastian (
Last updated: March 23)
