The reigning World Champion Chicago Cubs haven’t made a ton of astonishing moves this offseason, but one goal they had during the winter months was to add some depth to their pitching. On Wednesday, the team acquired 25-year-old righty Eddie Butler from the Colorado Rockies to hopefully reach this goal.
Butler comes to the Cubs for right-handed pitcher James Farris as well as international bonus pool money according to SB Nation’s Bleed Cubbie Blue. Dylan Floro has been designated for assignment to make room for Butler.
#Rockies received RHP James Farris and international bonus money slot number 28. RHP Dylan Floro has been designated for assignment.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 1, 2017
Butler was drafted in the first round (46th overall) of the 2012 amateur draft by the Rockies where he spent his career and was named one of the organization’s top prospects. He is coming off of a terrible 2016 campaign, finishing the season with a 7.16 ERA and a 2-5 record in 64 innings pitched.
Courtesy of Fangraphs: Butler’s numbers compared to the league average
A break from throwing to a lot of National League West hitters could benefit Butler. He certainly adds depth to the team which is what they ultimately wanted. Let’s just hope his numbers improve.