Cubs and starter Drew Smiley are in agreement on a one-year contract with a mutual option for a second year. The first year base is $4.25 million with a $1 million buyout on the 2023 mutual option. So Smyly guarantees $5.25 million for one season with an additional $2.5 million in potential rewards. It is reported that yesterday the parties were close to an agreement on the deal.
This time, Smiley should really get a chance to climb the hill in Cubbie blue: he previously signed a two-year contract with the Cubs while recovering from Tommy John surgery ahead of the 2018 season. He spent that year in rehab with the organization, never appearing in a game.
After the season, the Cubs lost to Smiley to the Rangers in a little financial acrobatics. At the time, the Cubs were trying to bring back Cole Hamelswho had a buyout option that Texas was on the hook to pay if the Cubs didn’t accept the team’s option. In effect, the Rangers were given a choice: pay Hamels’ $6 million buyout or take Smiley and his $7 million one-year contract.
The Rangers decided to avoid the dead money and add Smiley to their rotation. Even if Texas was forced to a certain extent, they needed a pitch, and Smiley seemed like a fair and affordable bet to bounce back from the Tommy John operation. Unfortunately, he never found his footing with the Rangers, posting an 8.42 ERA in 51 1/3 innings, earning his release in June.
He has since become a swingman for hire, finishing the 2019 season with the Phillies, spending a shortened 2020 with the Giants, and then winning a World Series ring with the Braves last season. He made 23 starts and appeared in 29 games for the Braves, hitting 126 2/3 innings in the regular season. Smiley did not make the postseason rotation, but he did appear in three games during the run, including twice in the World Series.
For the Cubs, Smiley can help fill out the rotation, which has improved over last year’s team but still faces a number of issues. Markus Stroman, Kyle Hendrixas well as Wade Miley make up the veteran trio of front-line soldiers, but apart from this veteran trio there is little left, especially given the recent news that Adbert Alsolei will start the year on the injured list. Smiley is a prime candidate for fourth place in the rotation, and with the money guaranteed on his deal, he could at least start the season in the rotation with confidence.
Looking over my shoulder Alec Mills, Stephen Brault, Justin Steel, Keegan Thompson, Corey Abbott, Anderson Espinozaas well as Braylin Marquez are other potential candidates for rotation. Along the line Caleb Kilian, Ryan Jensen, Riley Thompsonas well as Alexander Vizcaino are promising players with some pedigree who could play a part in the minutes rotation.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via twitter) broke the initial news of the deal, while MLB Network’s John Heyman (via twitter) initial financial terms added. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com on condition details of the mutual option.