The Chicago Cubs added another arm on Tuesday to help improve the back end of their bullpen. Manager Joe Maddon may soon have another reliever to utilize in his new closer-by-committee system.
Chicago and right-hander Rafael Soriano agreed to terms on a minor league contract, according to the team's Twitter account. The deal is contains a $4.1 million prorated base salary with an additional $4 million in bonuses for appearances and games finished, reports James Wagner of the Washington Post.
Soriano hit free agency this offseason and went unsigned until earlier today.
He fired agent Scott Boras in May as he seemingly grew impatient having not yet reached a deal during a time when so many MLB clubs are in need of bullpen help. The Cubs were one of them, especially after manager Joe Maddon went with a closer-by-committee system for the team's weekend series against the Washington Nationals.
Relievers Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Jason Motte all logged saves after Chicago took three out of four from the Nats. No reliever has truly stepped up for the Cubs and established himself as the clear-cut closer, which perhaps prompted Maddon to take a different approach.
Rondon was considered the team's closer prior to the weekend, but he had a rough month of May (4.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and two blown saves in 12 appearances).
The same went for Strop, who went 1-3 with a 6.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 15 games.
Those two were supposed to be the club's 1-2 punch in the eighth and ninth inning, but their inability to remain consistent has resulted in a chance of plans.
Soriano, 35, went 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.129 WHIP and 32 saves in 64 games (62 innings) with the Nationals last season, but was stripped of the closer role after enduring a rough second half of the year. A number of factors such as his age, clubhouse reputation and contract demands delayed his signing until today.
However, he's been largely successful as a closer throughout his career and he was the ninth-inning man for the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2010 when Maddon was still managing there.
Chicago's bullpen ERA (3.68) ranks 20th in the MLB and their 14 saves are good for 21st. The Cubs hope Soriano can make the big league roster and provide more stability in late-inning situations.
