NEWSLETTER
Today was Sign a 28-Year-Old Reclamation Reliever to a Minor League Deal Day for the Chicago Cubs! Cheers to all who celebrate.
In truth, these signings didn’t all happen today, but they all got on my radar today. There was Blake Weiman (28), Sam McWilliams (28), and now Richard Lovelady, also 28:
Unlike his predecessors in the holiday, Lovelady has actually already had some big league success, putting together 20-ish great innings of relief for the Royals back in 2021. Unfortunately that’s when his elbow popped, and Tommy John surgery followed. That cost him 2022, and then in his comeback year in 2023, he suffered pronator strain in his forearm at midseason, and that ended his season.
That left Lovelady a perfect candidate to (1) work at Driveline and/or showcase at the pro day to get himself signed, and (2) join a pitching-friendly club on a minor league deal. If he’s healthy, there’s a real chance Lovelady will see time in the Cubs’ big league bullpen this year.
For now, though, he’ll come to Spring Training, work with the Pitch Lab, and we’ll see what’s what. The Cubs actually now have a good bit of lefty depth options for Spring Training/Iowa in on minor league deals: Lovelady, Weiman, Edwin Escobar, and Thomas Pannone. Four reclamation lefty options for Spring Training – I know people like to crack their jokes, but I really appreciate that the Cubs take those no-risk shots seriously.
I also know that jokes are coming about this particular pitcher’s name, and I’m sure he’s used to it by now.
(Feature photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports.)
