In recent news, the Chicago Cubs have made their first signing of the offseason by inking pitcher Edwin Escobar to a deal. The news was first reported on Monday night in Venezuela, where Escobar is currently pitching in the Winter Leagues. The deal was also reported by several outlets in Japan, where Escobar had pitched for the last six seasons.
Escobar, a former Top-100 prospect, has spent the last seven seasons pitching in Japan and has a solid track record. In 58 total appearances between the Japanese and Venezuelan Winter League, Escobar has a 4-2 record with a 3.33 ERA, striking out 46 batters in 51.1 innings of work. While it is unclear what type of contract he signed, it is likely that he will come to spring training with an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Cubs’ bullpen.
What makes this signing even more interesting is that Escobar’s teammate in Japan, pitcher Shota Imanaga, is expected to come to the big leagues in 2024 and has been repeatedly connected to the Cubs in free agency rumors. This could mean that there is some level of familiarity between the two players and that they could potentially work together as teammates once again if both make it to the big leagues.
Overall, this signing marks an exciting start to the offseason for the Chicago Cubs as they look to rebuild their roster and prepare for another season of contention. Fans can tune into the Cubs Talk Podcast for more updates on this story and other developments around baseball.