Latest Chicago Cubs roster move is a clear cost-cutting measure

In the middle of their Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, it was reported that the Chicago Cubs have placed veteran Drew Smyly on outright waivers. The 35-year-old lefty pitched in 39 games this year and posted a 2.84 ERA, 1.2 WHIP, 4.77 FIP, 7.6 K/9, and 3.2 BB/9 in 50.2 innings. He will be there for postseason-bound teams looking to add another arm.

Smyly, in his Cubs career, posted a 4.09 ERA, 1.3 WHIP, 4.67 FIP, 8.3 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9 in 299.1 innings from 2022-2024. 45 of his 102 appearances in a Cubs uniform were starts, all of his starts came in 2022 and 2023. He signed a one-year deal in 2022, and his efforts that year (3.47 ERA, 1.2 WHIP, 4.23 FIP in 22 starts) got him a two-year, $19 million deal. Funny enough, Smyly was in the Cubs organization in 2018, but he did not pitch in the Majors in 2017-2018 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

He was not always the most popular pitcher but he had his moments. He was a legit solid starter in 2022 when the Cubs were still in early transition mode. He started off 2023 very well, pitching to a 3.38 ERA in his first 15 starts. This included the near-perfect game against the Dodgers on April 21st of that year. Things then went awry and he lost his spot in the rotation eventually, finishing the season with a 5.00 ERA, 4.96 WHIP and 1.4 WHIP in 142.1 innings. This season the results were pretty good for Smyly in terms of ERA and runs allowed. The FIP was much higher than the ERA, and the K/9 was 7.6, but he was able to find a way to get out.

Interested teams now have the opportunity to claim Smyly as long as they are willing to take on the remainder $4.4MM he is owed this season. Given where the Cubs are on the season, barely clinging onto contention and recent comments about the team potentially going over the luxury tax this year, the decision to place Smyly on outright waivers gives the impression of the front office trying to save money where they can.