The Chicago Cubs filled their shortstop vacancy Friday, landing four-time Gold Glove winner Andrelton Simmons to a one-year deal worth $4 million, multiple outlets reported.
Simmons will take over on the left side of the infield for Javier Baez, who was moved to the New York Mets at the trade deadline last season then signed a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Tigers in November.
Simmons played last season with the Minnesota Twins, batting .223 with three home runs and 31 RBIs over 131 games while solidifying the team’s defense.
Filling the offensive shoes of Baez will prove difficult. The two-time All-Star hit a combined 31 home runs for the Cubs and Mets last season with 87 RBIs. He drove in a career-best 111 runs for the Cubs in 2018.
Simmons has never hit more than 17 home runs in any of his 10 seasons, with a career-best 75 RBIs in 2018. Over 1,191 career games with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels and Twins, Simmons is a .265 hitter with 70 home runs and 437 RBIs.
–Field Level Media