Roster Move: Cubs bringing back former Cubs reliever Yency Almonte |
Dustin Riese
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- 1 day ago
Over the past two weeks since Spring Training games officially began, the Chicago Cubs have looked like a team on a mission. Their offense is humming, their pitching has been solid, and the overall mindset that this team seems to have is what you are hoping for from this team.
However, this is only spring training, and none of this counts, but it's still fun to enjoy Cubs baseball after the season they had in 2024. Lost amid the Cubs' 16-1 blowout win over the San Diego Padres, Chicago was back on the free-agent market as they continued to find Minor League depth. Their most recent signing was a surprise, and it was one of those familiar-face acquisitions as the Cubs and 30-year-old right-hander Yency Almonte came to terms on a Minor League deal. In case the name sounds familiar, it's the same Yency Almonte who was part of the Cubs bullpen last season after being acquired as part of the Michael Busch deal. Almonte was limited to just 17 games and 15 2/3 innings last season before being shut down with a shoulder injury. That injury ended his season, as Almonte could never get his arm back into game shape and settled for season-ending surgery. He was one of the Cubs' first non-tendered players this off-season, so seeing him back leads many to believe the Cubs feel he is farther along in his rehab process and wants to monitor him within their organization. Small sample size or not, Almonte was very good for the Cubs last season and was expected to play a massive role for them in the late innings. Despite a rough go of things during the first two weeks of the season, Almonte responded by posting a 3.45 ERA in his 17 outings. He walked eight and struck out 20, but only three compared to 11 strikeouts in his final eight innings. Considering he has a career ERA of 4.44 in 213 career games, it was nice to see Almonte trending in the right direction, especially considering what the Cubs gave up to get him. One of those relievers who has bounced between the minors and majors most of his career, Almonte has had some brief runs of success, with the 2022 Dodgers being his best season. That year, Almonte emerged as a serious late-inning arm, posting a microscopic 1.02 ERA in 35 innings with 10 walks and 33 strikeouts. Before that, his best season came in 2020 as a member of the Colorado Rockies, as he posted a 2.92 ERA in 27 innings during the COVID years. Taking those years out, as well as his time with the Cubs, Almonte has struggled, so he has always been considered an AAAA type of player. Looking into his minor league numbers things weren't much better, as he posted a 4.07 ERA across 164 games in 10 seasons. One hundred two of those games came as starts, as Almonte was always seen as a starter until he reached the upper levels of Minor League baseball. Now, back in the Cubs system, he will likely be stationed in AAA once he is fully healthy. Health is Almonte's biggest question right now. Knowing how hit-or-miss players are when recovering from shoulder injuries, this is one of those flyer-type deals with little to no expectations. The Cubs know this player very well, and they have seen Almonte's good and bad in the short time they have had him. When healthy, Almonte features a fastball in the 94-96 MPH range that can touch 97 on occasion. His slider has always been his best pitch, and when on, it sits at 86 MPH and offers some late defining break. Almonte also has a change-up mixed into his repertoire, but he doesn't use it much at this stage in his career. This is one of those deals that benefits both the Cubs and the player. If the player returns healthy and proves his worth, the Cubs will benefit, as they will add more bullpen depth at a low price. If it doesn't work, the Cubs will lose nothing and move on to other options. The Cubs are bringing back pitcher Yency Almonte on a minor league deal. He appeared in 17 games for them last year. Has a career 4.44 ERA.
