Cubs trade Montero to Toronto
The Chicago Cubs were able to move disgruntled catcher Miguel Montero.
After designating Montero for assignment last week after he made critical comments about Cubs pitchers, the team on Monday traded him and cash considerations to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later or cash considerations. It's believed the Cubs are picking up the bulk of what's left on Montero's contract, which runs through the end of this season.
The Cubs cut ties with Montero last Wednesday, following the previous night's game, in which the Washington Nationals went 7-for-7 in stolen-base attempts during a 6-1 victory over the Cubs.
After the game, Montero was critical of starting pitcher Jake Arrieta.
"It really (stinks) because the stolen bases go with me," he said. "When you really look at it, the pitcher doesn't give me any time. So it's like, 'Yeah, Miggy can't throw nobody out, but my pitchers don't hold anybody on … If I don't get a chance to throw, that's the reason they were running left and right today because they know he (Arrieta) was slow to the plate. Simple as that.
"It's a shame that it's my fault because I didn't throw anybody out."
When asked whether he had talked to Arrieta about the problem, Montero said: "We talk every year in spring training, but it's frustrating because it seems like nobody really cares about it, like, 'OK, I got to pitch, and if they run, they run. I don't care.'"
The Cubs cited team chemistry issues and the possible bad influence on younger players Montero's comments might have in deciding to cut him. Montero was 0-for-31 in throwing out baserunners for the Cubs this season. At the plate, he had a line of .286/.366/.439 with 4 homers and 8 RBI.
Last year, he hit .216 with 8 homers and 33 RBI. He had an RBI single in the 10th inning to drive in an insurance run in Game 7 of the World Series at Cleveland. He also hit a two-out, pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, helping the Cubs to an 8-4 victory.
Montero last fall was critical of manager Joe Maddon's usage of him in the postseason. The two men ironed out their differences over dinner in Arizona in the early days of spring training.