CHICAGO -- Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer’s summer shopping spree began early this year as the Chicago Cubs start the task of fortifying their roster for a playoff run.
Will Joe Nathan -- who was signed to a prorated minimum deal -- excel like 2015 pickups Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and Fernando Rodney did? Or will he end up like Tommy Hunter and Rafael Soriano, who both failed to make an impact.
“It’s always good to have pitching depth,” manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday after the deal was announced. “You can never have enough pitching depth, so I think it’s a great move and hopefully he’s going to do well.”
The timing works for the Cubs because Nathan won’t be ready until essentially the second half of the season as he continues his recovery from a second Tommy John surgery. He’ll likely be major league ready at a critical point in the Cubs' season when arms are tiring and veteran experience might come into play. Nathan might throw one pitch for them or he might throw 100 -- but he certainly won’t be the last pickup. If the Cubs are willing to fortify their relief staff from the right side, then you better believe they’re looking at lefties as well.
Remember those six walks to Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals? Or the many over the past couple of years to Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds? The New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates have some lefty boppers as well, and the Cubs don’t have a true lefty specialist.
Both times that Harper came up in extra innings that day, Travis Wood was warming up in the bullpen, but the Cubs chose not to use him. Both Wood and fellow lefty Clayton Richard have never filled the lefty specialist role, so it might not be fair to ask them now. They’re former starters-turned-longish relievers. If anything, injured reliever Zac Rosscup was probably best suited for that role, but he’s been down since spring training.
In any case, Nathan is the first in what likely will be a long list of pitchers who will walk through Wrigley’s doors -- or at least Triple-A Iowa’s. Last year the Cubs acquired arms in June (Soriano), July (Richard, Hunter) and August (Cahill, Rodney). They even added one last May -- like they did on Tuesday -- when they traded catcher Welington Castillo to Seattle for righty Yoervis Medina. Starting to see a pattern?
The Cubs lose nothing by giving Nathan a chance, just as they gave those pitchers a chance a year ago. Cahill and Richard turned into big-time finds, helping the Cubs to the playoffs. Maybe Nathan will do the same. Two current relievers, Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez, played briefly with Nathan in the Texas Rangers organization a few years ago.
“He was smoking 22-year-olds [in agility drills]," Ramirez said. “He was a true pro. A great athlete. He went about his business the right way.”
The Cubs like those kinds of guys.