2021-22 Cubs Offseason Moves

The lockout is over, free agency has returned, Carlos Correa rumors are all the way back and maybe you forgot about some moves the Cubs made prior to lockout and even during it. Well, no worries. Here are all the offseason moves the Cubs have made so far in 2021-22.

November

Claimed left-handed starting pitcher Wade Miley off waivers from the Reds. The 35-year-old will make $10 million in the 2022 season after ending 2021 with a 3.37 ERA in 28 starts with Cincinnati. Right-handed reliever Ethan Roberts and outfielder Nelson Velázquez added to 40-man roster. Roberts, 24, had a 3.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 54 innings combined at Double-A and Triple-A last year. Velázquez finished the 2021 minor league season at Double-A, where he slashed .290/.358/.581 in 34 games. Traded cash considerations to Cleveland for outfielder Harold Ramirez. The 27-year-old has played in 221 MLB games with the Marlins and Cleveland since making his debut in 2019. During his time in the big leagues Ramirez has posted a .714 OPS. Signed 29-year-old pitcher Locke St. John to a minor league contract. The lefty has primarily pitched out of the bullpen in the minors, but has made 51 starts including four in 2021. St. John has a career 3.44 ERA in 483.1 innings in minor-league ball. He's logged 6.2 innings in the majors with the Rangers in 2019.

December

Outfielder Michael Hermosillo was signed to a one-year deal a day after he was non-tendered by the Cubs. The 27-year-old had a great 2021 season at Triple-A, posting a 1.036 OPS in 43 games. He had a .737 OPS with three home runs in 36 at-bats with the Cubs before his season came to an end because of an injury in mid-September. Signed veteran catcher Yan Gomes to a two-year, $13 million deal that includes a third-year option. The 34-year-old has a career .720 OPS and is viewed as a starting-level player. Right now he's expected to back up Willson Contreras and get some at-bats against left-handed pitching from the DH spot. Reliever Jonathan Holder signed a minor league deal. Cubs brought back the right-handed reliever after they signed him prior to the 2021 season. Holder spent almost all of 2021 rehabbing a shoulder injury that led to the righty only throwing two innings in the minors. He has a career 4.38 ERA in the majors in 176.2 innings, all coming with the Yankees from 2016-20. Right-handed starting pitcher Marcus Stroman signed a three-year contract worth $71 million, which is by far the biggest move made by the Cubs this offseason. Stroman can make an additional $2 million in 2022 and 2023 if he pitches at least 160 innings. The 30-year-old had a 3.02 ERA in 33 starts with the Mets last season. Right-handed hitting catcher P.J. Higgins signed a minor league contract. Higgins had Tommy John surgery last summer after playing in nine games for the Cubs. Signed right-handed hitter Clint Frazier to a one-year deal. Cubs added some outfield depth with Frazier, who was let go by the Yankees after spending five seasons in New York. In 700 MLB at-bats Frazier has hit 29 home runs with a .761 OPS. Cubs drafted left-handed pitcher Conner Menez during the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. Menez has a career 4.04 ERA in 42.1 innings during his time with the Giants.

Minor League Signings During Lockout

Left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves. Right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter. Shortstop Dixon Machado. Right-handed pitcher Eric Yardley. Left-handed pitcher Matt Dermody. Catcher John Hicks. Right-handed pitcher Kevin McCarthy. Left-handed pitcher Eric Stout.

Current 40-Man Roster

Pitchers Cory Abbott Adbert Alzolay Scott Effross Anderson Espinoza Kyle Hendricks Codi Heuer Brailyn Marquez Wade Miley Alec Mills Tommy Nance Ethan Roberts Manny Rodriguez Michael Rucker Justin Steele Marcus Stroman Keegan Thompson Alexander Vizcaino Rowan Wick Brad Wieck Catchers Miguel Amaya Willson Contreras Yan Gomes Infielders Sergio Alcantara David Bote Nico Hoerner Nick Madrigal Christopher Morel Alfonso Rivas Frank Schwindel Patrick Wisdom Outfielders Alexander Canario Greg Deichmann Clint Frazier Ian Happ Michael Hermosillo Jason Heyward Rafael Ortega Harold Ramirez Nelson Velazquez

Key Injuries

David Bote had left shoulder surgery in the offseason and is expected to miss the start of the 2022 season. He missed two months last year after dislocating his shoulder on a slide to second base in May. Bote was limited to 97 games in 2021 and you'd point to the injury as one of the reasons his numbers dipped, as he slashed .197/.276/.330, with eight home runs. Former top Cubs' prospect Miguel Amaya underwent Tommy John surgery in the winter to repair his throwing elbow. The catcher only played in 23 games at Double-A in 2021 because of his elbow injury and the surgery will contribute to a third consecutive year in which Amaya's development will be affected. The 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Right-handed reliever Codi Heuer had Tommy John surgery in March, which will keep him out of action for all of 2022. After the Cubs acquired him along with Nick Madrigal in the Craig Kimbrel trade with the White Sox, Heuer pitched in 25 games, recorded a 3.14 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and struck out 17 batters in 28.2 innings.