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Chicago Cubs trim roster further, release infielder Munenori Kawasaki
By Jake Misener
As the team seeks to whittle down its final roster, the Chicago Cubs released veteran infielder Munenori Kawasaki on Tuesday.
As Spring Training draws to a close, teams around Major League Baseball are making their final roster moves ahead of Opening Day. The Chicago Cubs are among those teams, releasing veteran infielder Munenori Kawasaki on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old Kawasaki far exceeded his career marks in 14 games with Chicago last season, hitting .333/.462/.429. Defensively, he appeared in games at second and third base for Joe Maddon.
Kawasaki’s release trims the Cubs’ roster down to 30 – one day after the team dropped Ian Happ and others off the big-league roster in Arizona.
Still, a reunion could be in the works for Chicago and the fan favorite Kawasaki.
Roster at 30 after Kawasaki released. Cubs giving him shot to explore big-league opportunities. If that doesn't happen, Cubs want him back.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) March 28, 2017
Over his career, Kawasaki carries a .237/.320/.289 slash line. Given the Cubs’ countless defensive utility players, the move can hardly be considered a surprise. The team is still reportedly fielding offers for outfielder Matt Szczur. Such a deal would open the door for Tommy La Stella to claim the final roster spot.
Factor in the versatility of Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist and it’s easy to see why the Cubs dropped a light-hitting player in his mid-30s.
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In his time in Japan, Kawasaki was much better offensively. He posted a solid .294/.345/.378 line across over 1,100 games. Don’t be surprised if he comes up dry on a big-league opportunity and he winds up manning shortstop for Triple-A Iowa this summer.