Enter a new bullpen competitor.
Today the Chicago Cubs claimed righty reliever Guillermo Moscoso off of waivers from the Blue Jays, who’ve been churning waiver claims like nobody’s business – they had just claimed Moscoso from the Royals last week.
Moscoso, 29, bounced around for years before finally breaking through with the A’s in 2011 as a part-time starter. He put up a 3.38 ERA (120 ERA+) and 1.094 WHIP over 128 innings in 23 appearances (21 starts). He wound up as an unsuccessful swing guy with the Rockies last year after being traded for Seth Smith, and then bounced around this offseason. Moscoso has also been terrible in Spring Training this year, but, well, Spring Training.
He’s an intriguing arm, especially if you dream on that 2011 season. He’ll compete with Hisanori Takahashi and Cory Wade for the final bullpen spot, but given that there isn’t a whole lot of “competing” time left, I’d say the Cubs know what their plans are at this point. Which, by the way, could include trying to sneak Moscoso through waivers at the end of Spring Training like they did with Luis Valbuena last year, if I’m remembering correctly. (This assumes Moscoso is out of options, which it appears that he is.)
If not that, then maybe Moscoso will be the guy who wins the final spot, and the Cubs will try to figure out a way to keep Takahashi and/or Wade at Iowa.
To open up a 40-man spot for Moscoso, the Cubs officially placed Arodys Vizcaino on the 60-day DL, which was expected. He’s still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and wasn’t expected to contribute at the big league level this year, if at all, until the second half of the season.
The 40-man is at 40 right now, however, and the Cubs still have to make room for Brent Lillibridge. That could come by way of a Scott Baker 60-day DL stint, or someone getting dumped.