Donnie Murphy claimed by Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs waive George Kottaras

Sep 21, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Donnie Murphy (8) hits a single in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. Chicago won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers claimed third baseman Donnie Murphy off waivers Wednesday afternoon while the Chicago Cubs released catcher George Kottaras, tweets 670 the Score’s Bruce Levine.

MlLB source -Infielder Donnie Murphy has been claimed for the waiver fee from the Chicago Cubs .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) March 26, 2014

Scout source tells me Cub Catcher George Kottaras has cleared outright waivers and has been put on release waivers .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) March 26, 2014

Murphy, 31, hit 11 home runs and hit .255/.319/.530 in 163 plate appearances over 46 games with the Cubs when he platooned at third base with Luis Valbuena and saw some time at shortstop. He will likely play second base, a position he has played 48 games at, for the Rangers after Jurickson Profar suffered a right shoulder injury.

Kottaras, 30, would have been owned $1.075 million and the Cubs will only pay $264,000 in termination cost. He has hit a .214/.324/.406 line over his career.

With Kottaras release, 33-year-old John Baker will be the Cubs’ backup catcher. Baker hit .223/.301/.258 over 79 games with the San Diego Padres the past two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound catcher played in 44 games last season in Triple-A with Tucson and Albuquerque in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, where he hit a .205/.302/.295 and had a .997 fielding percentage behind the plate in 40 games.

For more Chicago Cubs conversation and updates follow us on Twitter @CubbiesCrib and Like our Facebook page at Cubbies Crib.

Schedule