It’s red tag season, and the Chicago Cubs have started trimming their Spring Training roster. Guys who are not in any real position to make the big league club are headed to minor league camp, with their Spring Training games set to get underway.
Alzolay, Tseng optioned to Iowa, De La Cruz, Steele optioned to Tennessee; Duncan Robinson, Ian Clarkin, Alberto Baldonado, Craig Brooks, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea, Ian Rice, Charcer Burks, Evan Marzilli, Jacob Hannemann assigned to minor league camp. Scahill granted release.
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) March 9, 2019
Note: guys who are on the 40-man roster are dubbed “optioned” when they head to minor league camp, but it is effectively the same thing as with the rest of the guys, for Spring Training purposes.
Bryan with an additional note on the optioned guys:
Good news: the option means Alzolay is healthy again. As I learned reading TCR this week (sent out link Fri AM), you can’t option a player down who is presently injured. Which is reason they rush to get the 4 mentioned here optioned — can’t risk them getting hurt w/ big lg pay. https://t.co/4ruCZ1oxeU
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) March 9, 2019
Reliever Rob Scahill, then, is the only one who is gone-gone. Since he was in on a minor league deal, the Cubs could have kept him around, but there simply isn’t going to be enough room for everyone as it is. So releasing him now is a way for him to try to find another job before the season gets underway.
The Spring roster was cut from 69 to 54.