NEWSLETTER
UPDATE: An addition to the earlier roster moves, with the Cubs losing another player. And this one kinda stings.
Relief prospect Nicholas Padilla, who rose from High-A South Bend all the way to a look-see in the big leagues earlier this year, has been lost on waivers to the White Sox.
Padilla, 25, was getting great results all the way up to Triple-A Iowa (a 2.11 ERA on the year, spread across 47.0 innings at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A; 30.5% K, 13.7% BB), but the pitches didn’t necessarily flash when we got a look at him, and the Cubs made the early decision that he wasn’t going to make the cut when the 40-man roster crunch arrived after the season. That said, if Padilla had cleared waivers, it’s possible the Cubs would’ve been able to re-sign him to a minor league deal before the offseason began. But now he’s gone.
Of course, the flip side to that is that it’s hard to be mad about a fringe guy getting a spot on another 40-man roster. It means a lot to him financially, and he was already squeezed out with the Cubs. So, I guess, go get yours, Nick.
*Original post follows.*
Weird timing for this news to drop, but we have some Cubs roster updates for you mid-game. First, the Cincinnati Reds have claimed Cubs reliever/swing-man Luke Farrell off waivers. And to make space for him on their roster, they’ve designated Albert Almora Jr. for assignment.
Almora is still just 28 years old, but his time with the Mets (-10 wRC+) and the Reds (70 wRC+) just wasn’t going to cut it, especially as his once pristine defense had slipped to just solidly above average, at best. In fact, he’d been playing a lot of corner outfield for the Reds, where his offensive performance REALLY wasn’t going to cut it. He had also spent some time in the minors this season and the offensive performance was still below average there.
As for Farrell, 31, there’s really no love lost. If he has a chance to pitch for another big league team, I’m happy to see him get the opportunity, because it wasn’t going to happen for him with the Cubs. There are just too many other arms emerging in the upper levels of the minors that will need relief (and especially swing) innings soon/next year.
Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Kervin Castro has cleared waivers and is heading to Triple-A Iowa:
Castro, 23, was more of a legitimate prospect at the beginning of the year, especially after a successful debut last season in San Francisco: 13.1 IP, 0.00 ERA (3.87 xERA). You’ll recall the Cubs picked him up off waivers, themselves, just after the trade deadline. But his time in Chicago went horribly (7.59 ERA over 10.2 IP) and now he’s back in the minors. His diminished velocity is particularly troubling as is/was his cratering K-rate.
There might still be something there to work with, though, and given the pedigree, I’m sure the Cubs are happy to have him cleared and in the system. He has 2 minor league options remaining.
