The Chicago Cubs needed a veteran infielder, and they landed one of the best defensive players available.
The Cubs agreed to a one-year contract with shortstop Andrelton Simmons on Friday worth $4 million plus incentives, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The team has not announced the deal.
Simmons, a four-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, will boost the middle infield defense and give manager David Ross injury insurance and options with Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal expected to get regular time at shortstop and second base, respectively.
Both young infielders are coming off injury-plagued seasons. Madrigal tore his right hamstring in June and missed the rest of the season. Hoerner dealt with three separate injuries (right forearm strain, left hamstring strain and right oblique strain) in 2021, finishing with only 170 plate appearances in 44 games.
Solidifying the infield defense is important behind a pitching staff that projects to rely on ground-ball outs for success, particularly Kyle Hendricks, Marcus Stroman and Wade Miley. Stroman had the 11th-highest ground-ball rate (50.8%) among 68 major-league pitchers with at least 100 innings in 2021, while Miley ranked 13th (49.4%) and Hendricks 32nd (43.1%). The Cubs were roughly at the league average in advanced defensive metrics last season.
Simmons’ 15 defensive runs saved were second by a shortstop behind the Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa in 2021. But he likely won’t add much offensively. The 32-year-old’s production has declined steadily over the last three years and he’s coming off a .233/.283/.274 line with a 57 OPS+ with the Minnesota Twins.
After watching big-league batting practice at the Cubs complex Friday, manager David Ross was asked whether he had any shortstops in mind for the team to sign.
“Well, there’s a good one behind me that’s been there,” said Ross, referring to Hoerner. “I leave that stuff up to the front office and we communicate regularly and they’re up there in their offices kind of hunkered down and working on filling out the rest of the roster. But hopefully soon we’ve got some different news for you.”
Theoretically, signing Simmons does not prevent the Cubs from also adding Correa. But as the Cubs have made clear since the end of last season, any deals will be made with the future in mind. They will not compromise the financial flexibility they are creating in order to hand out a massive contract.
This is why Stroman’s three-year, $71 million deal with an opt-out after Year 2 works for the Cubs. Unless Correa is willing to take a shorter contract with a high annual average value, it’s hard to envision the Cubs signing him to a long-term deal.
Cubs big-leaguers start reporting to camp
Ian Happ took a deep breath “for the first time in six months” after he learned players had voted Thursday to approve the collective bargaining agreement.
Justin Steele began a happy dance with his girlfriend when he read the message from Happ, the Cubs’ players union rep, in a group chat: “We’ve got the vote.”
Ross learned of the good news while in a mall helping his oldest daughter find a dress for an event Saturday night. Once the lockout was lifted, Ross sent text messages to every player while his daughter tried on dresses. Willson Contreras responded almost immediately.
“I think all these guys are ready to go,” Ross said Friday. “It was nice to get a response and I definitely know that I need to get more friends in my life because I definitely was bored without talking to players.”
Twelve players from the Cubs’ 40-man roster reported to the complex Friday: Stroman, Hendricks, Happ, Hoerner, Madrigal, Steele, first baseman-outfielder Alfonso Rivas, outfielder Greg Deichmann, catchers Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya and relievers Brad Wieck and Manuel Rodríguez.
Players on the 40-man roster are required to report by Sunday. Workouts officially begin Monday.
New Cactus League schedule set
MLB released a new spring training schedule Friday. The Cubs open Cactus League play March 18 on the road against the San Francisco Giants.
They will play 19 exhibition games, including one set of split-squad games, with nine home games. Their opener at Sloan Park is March 19 versus the San Diego Padres. They host the White Sox on April 4.
Cubs make coaching staff adjustments
The Cubs have made a couple of tweaks to their big-league coaching staff.
Mike Napoli is now the first-base coach, and Craig Driver took over as game strategy/catching coach. Driver essentially replaces the departed Mike Borzello. Napoli spent the previous two seasons as a quality assurance coach.
Garrett Lloyd joins the staff as a bullpen coach. He is in his second year with the Cubs and worked as a minor-league developmental coach in 2021.