The Rundown Lite: Gallen Back to AZ, Castellanos to SD, Schwarber Leads Many Former Cubs Among Low-Average Mashers

This is the first of what should be six consecutive days of temps in the 50s or 60s, so I’m feeling chipper in spite of the gray skies. The snow is almost gone, spring training games are less than a week away, and we just got word that my son’s college showcase camp on Monday will take place on the field. While it remains wild to me that such a thing is possible on February 16 in the Midwest, I’ll happily sit in the sun to watch some baseball.

As for the professional ranks, it feels a little like rushing to pick up the house when you find out you’ve got unexpected company dropping by. All kinds of last-minute deals are coming together so guys can get into camp before their readiness for the season could be placed in jeopardy, and at least two of those recent deals involved players with whom the Cubs have been involved to some extent.

I had been pretty strenuously opposed to both, so I was happy to see them land elsewhere. With that in mind, let’s jump right into today’s topics.

• Zac Gallen, who I never believed would end up with the Cubs, signed a one-year, $22.025 million deal that matches the qualifying offer he turned down. It’s actually less than the QO because roughly two-thirds of it is deferred. Gallen was forced to settle for much less than he’d hoped for after having the worst season of his career, and his value was severely hampered by the penalties associated with turning down the QO.
• The deferrals total $14 million paid out in five $2.8 million installments beginning in 2031, thus lowering the net present value to $18.7 million.
• The D-backs don’t have to worry about that since they’re the team that offered, making a reunion the most likely outcome from the start. Despite constant ties to the Cubs that began with Bob Nightengale incorrectly reporting that a deal was close, a fit never made sense to me.
• Gallen throws a 93-94 mph cut-ride fastball with a curve and change, all of which have been very good at times. The problem is that he peaked in 2022-23 and has not been nearly as consistent or effective since. He’s only 30 and has time to regain at least some of that old form, but the Cubs don’t need a redundant one-year starter.
• The only way a Gallen deal would have made sense is if it was for multiple years at a much lower AAV than he just got. Between the QO penalties and a need to replace at least two starters after this season, the Cubs would only have entertained a discounted deal of two years or more.
• When it comes to discounted deals, the Padres just got one with former Cub Nick Castellanos. The former Philly was released earlier in the week with one year remaining on his five-year, $100 million contract, so the Pads are only paying him the league minimum. Castellanos is expected to work primarily at first base while also seeing time in the outfield and at DH. The latter is probably his best spot, as the glove is yikes on bikes.
• I know a lot of folks have fond memories of Nicky Two-Bags from 2019 and were hoping the Cubs would take a flyer on him, but the juice probably isn’t worth the squeeze even for such a cheap deal. They’ve already got a short-side platoon guy for first and DH with Tyler Austin, so Castellanos would have been superfluous.
• And lest you think I’m glazing Austin, it’s really just a matter of there being so little incremental value from even a much better hitter replacing him in that role. Castellanos doesn’t figure to be a much better hitter at this point in his career, hence the ill fit in Chicago.
• The other aspect is that Castellanos surely had a few options to choose from when it came to his next team. Even with his recent reputation as a me-first malcontent, several clubs must have been willing to tolerate a little aloofness given the minimal cost for a single season. Thus, Castellanos got something of a redo on free agency.
• His preference was to sign with his hometown Marlins back in 2022, and he reportedly implored Scott Boras to find a team other than the Phillies. The only problem is that the Marlins weren’t going to spend big and no other team was willing to come close to the Phils’ nine-figure offer. So Castellanos saw his star dimmed by much brighter stars, and thus felt disrespected right from the jump.
• The article linked above from Matt Gelb of The Athletic details a number of different issues between Castellanos and the Phillies, the biggest of which came when he cracked open a beer in the dugout after being removed from a game for defensive purposes. While that should have been an obvious move for the game’s worst defensive player, the fact that it happened in Miami with many of his friends and family in the stands incensed Castellanos.
• Though San Diego is about as far away from home as he could get, the weather is perfect and the team should be competitive. So even with his role likely reduced, Castellanos may be able to rebuild a little value before getting what could be his last shot at a new deal.
• A .272 career hitter, Castellanos was ineligible for the list compiled by Marquee’s Christopher Kamka of the 25 lowest averages among players who have hit at least 200 homers. Former Cubs make up seven of the 15 lowest, led by Kyle Schwarber (.231) at No. 5, just ahead of Max Muncy. The others are Carlos Peña (.232, 6th), Todd Hundley (.234, 8th), Dave Kingman (.236, 9), Joc Pederson (.237, 11th), Carlos Santana, and Jorge Soler (.241, t14th).
• Remember when the Cubs selected Schwarber No. 4 overall in 2014 out of IU — the same school that just produced the greatest turnaround in sports history with the greatest college football team ever — because of his hit tool? The epic power was a given, but Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer believed Schwarber would hit for a high average as well.
• That obviously didn’t work out according to plan, but he’s become one of the game’s premier sluggers and has a very good shot at reaching 500 homers before his five-year deal with the Phillies expires. He’s at 340 right now, so averaging 40 a year will get him there in four seasons. That’s a safe bet for a guy who’s averaged over 46 per season over the last four years in Philly.
• Schwarber and Castellanos are interesting studies in contrast, especially since both have been panned as terrible defensive players. One willingly accepted different assignments before embracing and excelling in a DH role. The other kept calling his own shots and selfishly choosing to do what he felt was best for him. Both played for the Cubs and Phillies, and the Cubs’ failure to keep either around drew ire from Cubs fans. But ask teammates who they’d prefer and you’ll probably get a pretty overwhelming response.
• On the topic of former beloved Cubs, the Twins have signed Andrew Chafin to a minor league deal. The failed starter will be in big league camp as he looks to get a 13th season under his belt.
• The Diamondbacks signed right-handed reliever Paul Sewald to a one-year deal and agreed to a minor league contract with righty Joe Ross.
• The Padres signed righty Griffin Canning to an MLB deal.
• Rick Sutcliffe was among the roughly 9,000 fans in attendance for the legendary Satchel Paige‘s final MLB appearance. Paige, then 59 years old, worked three scoreless innings for the Kansas City Athletics against the Red Sox on September 25, 1965.