Report: Cubs sign Jeffress to one-year contract
At least this relief pitcher has name recognition.
Strapped for cash, the Cubs have spent the better part of the off-season restocking their depleted bullpen with obscure arms like Ryan Tepera, Trevor Megill, Jharel Cotton, Dan Winkler and CD Pelham.
They also took another chance on injury-prone Brandon Morrow, signing the former closer to a minor league contract.
On Tuesday, the Cubs reportedly signed Jeremy Jeffress to a one-year contract. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal is worth $850,000 and includes incentives.
Jeffress must pass a physical before the contract becomes official, and the 32-year-old righty was limited to 48 games with the Brewers last season while dealing with shoulder and hip injuries.
The 32-year-old Jeffress was 3-4 with a 5.02 ERA while blowing 3 saves in 4 opportunities.
Jeffress was healthy in 2018 and he was 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 15 saves in 73 appearances for Milwaukee while being named a National League all-star.
Over a 10-year career with the Brewers, Royals, Rangers and Blue Jays, Jeffress is 28-11 with a 3.16 ERA, 44 saves and 370 strikeouts in 401 innings.
Cubs pitchers and catchers report to spring training Feb. 11 in Mesa, Ariz.
Signing day:
A day after Nick Castellanos joined the Reds on a four-year, $64 million contract, the Cubs filled the outfield void with Steven Souza Jr.
A 30-year-old outfielder, Souza agreed to a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives on Tuesday.
Souza is a career .233 hitter with 68 doubles, 70 home runs, 198 RBI and 41 stolen bases in 471 games with the Nationals (2014), Rays (2015-17) and Diamondbacks.
Health has been a major issue the last two years.
Souza didn't play a game last season after suffering a serious left knee injury in a March 25 Cactus League game. He was limited to 72 games in 2018 with a right pectoral injury.
A 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-handed hitter, Souza's best year was in 2017 with Tampa Bay. He hit .239/.351/.459 with 30 home runs and 78 RBI in 148 games.
Acquired in a July 31 trade from the Tigers last season, Castellanos slashed .321/.356/.646 with 16 homers and 36 RBI in 51 games for the Cubs before becoming a free agent.