Well, I can’t claim to have much background information or context around this one, but the Chicago Cubs have made a small transaction on this Friday afternoon:
brian duensing, cubs agree at $2M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 2, 2016
According to Jon Heyman, the Chicago Cubs and left-handed reliever Brian Duensing have agreed to a $2 million deal for 2017.
The Cubs have since confirmed the signing.
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As Heyman writes, Duensing was a reliever with the Baltimore Orioles last season, but missed almost the entire year after receiving surgery to remove cartilage from his left (pitching) elbow in June. He wound up making just 14 appearance (13.1 innings) overall.
Before becoming a reliever full-time in 2013, Duensing was a starter with the Twins, but the pen is where he’ll stay with the Cubs. We can go a bit deeper into Duensing in the near future, but it is worth pointing out that, despite serious struggles against righties (.352 career wOBA), he has handled lefties quite well (.273 career wOBA). With potentially three lefties leaving the bullpen – Aroldis Chapman (free agent), Travis Wood (free agent), and Mike Montgomery (potential starter) – an additional lefty (perhaps even a straight LOOGY) was not a bad pickup. Especially one on a relatively modest deal, that, in a worst case scenario, the Cubs would just eat.
As we know, the Cubs’ bullpen rebuilding efforts will continue from here.
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