Chicago Cubs release Eric Hosmer
The Chicago Cubs have released first baseman Eric Hosmer, the team announced on Thursday. Hosmer was designated for assignment on May 19 after struggling to start the season. The 33-year-old was struggling mightily in his first year with Chicago, posting a .610 OPS with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 31 games.
Hosmer was signed by the Cubs to a one-year, $720,000 contract last offseason. The deal was seen as a low-risk, high-reward move for the Cubs, who were looking for a veteran presence at first base. They made several other similar moves when they pushed for veteran leadership in that clubhouse.
Though Hosmer’s struggles at the plate were too much to overcome.
It’s not like the Cubs were expecting Hosmer to morph into the 2015 World Series champion form as a Cub, but they were expecting more than what they got. Unfortunately for Hosmer, his career appears to be on the decline, with his OPS+ steadily decreasing since 2020. Remember when the San Diego Padres gave him eight years, $144 million back in 2018? That’s almost as bad as the Aaron Hicks contract.
Chicago finds themselves in third place in the National League Central, 4.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. They have only won three of their past 10 games.
Who will step in for Hosmer at first base remains to be seen. It appears as if Matt Mervis, a slugging lefty prospect, is going to get some healthy playing time, starting in all six of his first six MLB games at the first baseman position. Alfonso Rivas is another player to look out for.
Is Eric Hosmer really still valuable to anyone at this point in his career? Maybe. Right now, he is just a struggling veteran who is drifting on the free-agent market. Someone will scoop him up soon but don’t expect clubs to be lining up on his front porch.
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