As it was reported on December 22nd, the Chicago Cubs re-signed left-handed starting pitcher Drew Smyly to a $19 million, two-year contract, bringing him back to the team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, as well as a third-year mutual option.
This move strengthens the Cubs’ rotation by adding depth and experience, as well as solidifying their starting pitching for the upcoming seasons.
Smyly will earn $8 million in 2023 and $8,5 million in 2024. There is also a $10 million mutual option for 2025.
Drew Smyly made it clear as last season came to a close that he hoped to still be part of the Cubs’ plans next year.
“I mean, I hope so,” Smyly said of whether he thinks he’ll be back with the Cubs in 2023, per NBC Sports Chicago. “It’s up in the air. It’s what the Cubs want to do. I hope they see me in their plans. I would love to come back. Like I said all season, playing games here and putting on this uniform is really special.”
“And whether I come back or not, it’s just going to be a season that I’ll remember and I’m really proud to put on this uniform …. From April to all the way till the end of September, you look forward to showing up every day and being around those guys …. I feel good about the season I had, and I know I can help this team win in the future, so we’ll see. But it doesn’t matter what I think. It’s up to them.”
The #Cubs today agreed to terms with LHP Drew Smyly on a two-year major league contract with a mutual option for 2025.
Welcome back, Drew! pic.twitter.com/2aRqpn6LCq
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) December 24, 2022
Who is Drew Smyly
Smyly is a familiar face to Chicago Cubs fans, as he spent the 2022 season with the team, pitching well in 22 starts despite suffering an oblique injury.
Drew had a 3.47 ERA in 22 starts for the 2022 season, with 7 wins and 8 losses in 106 innings pitched.
Smyly has a career ERA of 4.10 after pitching in over 940 innings and appearing in 239 games, with a record of 53 wins and 47 losses.
He excels at limiting hard contact, as his average exit velocity allowed of 86.7 mph was well below the league average of 88.6 mph and ranked 10th among the 140 pitchers who threw at least 100 innings in 2022.
Although he doesn’t have an eye-popping velocity, one of the reasons the team decided to bring Smyly back was his ability to provide consistent performances on the mound as well as his ability to pitch deep into games.
Smyly brings a wealth of experience to the Cubs rotation in addition to his strong stats. Over the course of his career, he pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Atlanta Braves, gaining valuable knowledge and insight into the nuances of major league baseball.
His experience will be invaluable to the Cubs, who hope to be competitive this season after signing players such as Cody Bellinger, Taillon, and star player Dansby Swanson.
How is the Cubs rotation looking
Smyly returns to a Cubs rotation led by Marcus Stroman and Kyle Hendricks and fortified by the recent signing of free-agent right-hander Jameson Taillon to a four-year, $68 million deal. Lefty Justin Steele is also a virtual lock for a rotation role after his strong showing last season.
With Smyly now locked in for the next two seasons, the Cubs rotation looks even better heading into 2022.
The Drew Smyly signing by the numbers #CubsTalk #ItsDifferentHere #Cubbies #GoCubsGo #WeAreGood https://t.co/1FDf1JhFWV
— Chicago Cubs Fans (@CubsViews) January 4, 2023
Cubs rotation:
Marcus Stroman
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Last Team: Chicago Cubs
Age: 31
2022 stats: 6-7, 3.50 ERA, 138.2 IP, 119 K, 1.15 WHIP
Jameson Taillon
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Last Team: New York Yankees
Age: 31
2022 stats: 14-5, 3.91 ERA, 177.1 IP, 151 K, 1.13 WHIP
Justin Steele
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Last Team: Chicago Cubs
Age: 27
2022 stats: 4-7, 3.18 ERA, 119.0 IP, 126 K, 1.35 WHIP
Kyle Hendricks
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Last Team: Chicago Cubs
Age: 33
2022 stats: 4-6, 4.80 ERA, 84.1 IP, 66 K, 1.29 WHIP
Drew Smyly
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Last Team: Chicago Cubs
Age: 33
2022 stats: 7-8, 3.47 ERA, 106.1 IP, 91 K, 1.19 WHIP
Is It Enough?
Along with the five main options, Kyle Hendricks’ shoulder tear suggests that he may not be ready for spring training, which would put Hayden Wesneski or Adrian Sampson in the mix to start the season.
Adbert Alzolay, Keegan Thompson, and Javier Assad will most likely be used as multi-inning relievers next season, with their sights set on the starting rotation if something goes wrong with the Cubs’ main starters.
2023 #Cubs Starting Rotation
1.) Marcus Stroman
2.) Jameson Taillon
3.) Kyle Hendricks
4.) Justin Steele
5.) Drew SmylyDepth
•Keegan Thompson
•Hayden Wesneski
•Adbert Alzolay
•Adrian Sampson
•Javier Assad
•Caleb Kilian pic.twitter.com/h4sUTICaoA— Chief Cub (@ChiefCub) January 4, 2023
Final Thoughts
Overall, the re-signing of Drew Smyly is a smart move from the Chicago Cubs. His good stats and experience make him a valuable addition to the team’s rotation.
The Chicago Cubs have now signed six free agents to major league contracts this offseason.
Drew Smyly, Taillon, catcher Tucker Barnhart, center fielder Cody Bellinger, righty Brad Boxberger and shortstop Dansby Swansons.
Swanson is no doubt the major signing at seven years and $177 million, though all those moves will help a Cubs team that went 74-88 in 2022.
Credits on Featured Image: Ian D’Andrea from Philadelphia, PA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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