Report: Chicago Cubs will not pick up Tsuyoshi Wada’s option

According to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Cubs will not pick up left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada‘s 2015 club option, despite the success he has had with both the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate and the big league club this season.

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"Wada, who turns 34 next spring, won’t have his $5 million option picked up and likely will seek greener offers as opposed to a bargain renegotiation."

The left-hander, who will turn 34 early next year, is 4-3 with a 3.34 ERA this season in 11 starts with the Cubs. Opponents are batting just .240 against Wada, who lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Friday night in a rocky outing against the Pirates at PNC Park. He is currently part of Chicago’s six-man starting rotation that also includes Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, Travis Wood, Jacob Turner and Felix Doubront.

Prior to his call-up to the big league club, Wada pitched very well for the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines, going 10-6 with a 2.77 ERA across 18 starts, averaging an impressive 4.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the Triple-A club. Across portions of three minor league seasons, the Japanese left-hander is 15-13 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.320 WHIP.

Wada spent the past two seasons in the Baltimore Orioles farm system, but never reached the big leagues with the O’s due to arm injuries. In his last season pitching professionally in Japan with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, the southpaw was the epitome of dominance, going 16-5 with a 1.51 ERA in 26 starts totaling 184 2/3 innings.