15 worst Chicago Cubs free agent signings in franchise history

Cincinnati Reds v Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds v Chicago Cubs / Quinn Harris/GettyImages
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13. Candy Maldonado - 1 Year, $1.65 Million (1993)

Candy Maldonado spent his lone season with the Cubs when I was three years old so it's safe to say his tenure pre-dates my fandom. Although he spent just one year in Chicago, he definitely underperformed.

From 1986 to 1993, the outfielder put up a 110 OPS+ with the Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Brewers and Jays - establishing himself as a solid, if not spectacular contributor at the big league level. His career is full of pretty fun moments and he's bound to be an answer at barstool trivia - but his time with the Cubs was a total disaster.

After an .819 OPS (125 OPS+) with Toronto during their World Series season, Maldonado came to Chicago in 1993 and proceeded to fall flat on his face. Tasked with filling a spot on the roster previously held by Andre Dawson, it was an uphill battle from the start, but he did himself no favors with his performance.

Maldonado batted a woeful .186/.260/.286 line (48 OPS+) in 70 games with the Cubs. Somehow, Chicago managed to cut ties, trading the veteran outfielder to Cleveland in exchange for Glenallen Hill. He, of course, was best known for hitting a home run onto a rooftop across Waveland Ave, was stellar in his two Cubs stints (93-94, 98-00), putting up a .906 OPS on the North Side.