Clint Frazier match the mould of what the Chicago Cubs roster may have used this yr.
For a big-league roster that wants an overhaul to turn into a contender once more, Frazier represented upside. When the Cubs signed the outfielder to a one-year deal in December, Frazier figured to be within the combine for enjoying time, an opportunity for the group to unlock his full potential and consistency that had evaded the 2013 first-round decide (fifth total). Aside from Frazier’s age (27), he can be underneath crew management via 2024 due to his remaining arbitration years.
If the Cubs discovered one thing in Frazier, he would supply low-cost offense and permit them to deal with different lineup wants. Frazier’s time Chicago didn’t play out that method, nevertheless. The Cubs designated Frazier for project earlier than Friday’s collection opener towards his former crew, the New York Yankees. It was a corresponding 40-man roster transfer for right-hander Chris Martin to return off the restricted checklist.
Frazier hit .216 with three doubles, no residence runs, one RBI, a .356 on-base proportion and 87 OPS+ in 19 video games with the Cubs. An appendectomy sidelined Frazier for greater than a month.
Manager David Ross stated Frazier was upset and emotional when he obtained the information.
“It’s a spot where we haven’t been able to give him real opportunities to watch him succeed right now,” Ross stated. “I think he believes in his baseball skills, which we do too. It’s just one of those really tough decisions we have to make sometimes which stink and nobody wants to make those. It’s part of this business.”
Rookie Christopher Morel’s emergence during the last three weeks and his capacity to play heart subject lessens the necessity for a fifth outfielder. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki (strained left ring finger) seems on observe to return off the injured checklist this weekend, however as of Friday, he was not able to return. Ross stated it seems like a day-to-day scenario, however “it’s a slow process right now.”
Suzuki took batting observe Friday, and the Cubs will see how he feels Saturday. The challenge stays how Suzuki’s finger feels when hitting.
“Like, how much pain we can tolerate and how much we want to push it and is there any real damage that we can do long term with pushing it,” Ross stated. “Right now I think we’re testing all boundaries.”
Frazier’s time might need been operating out anyway because the Cubs will want a roster transfer as soon as Suzuki is prepared.
“His ability to show what he’s capable of, that hasn’t really panned out,” Ross stated. “With how our roster is constructed it simply was actually powerful to seek out him a spot. We all imagine that Clint Frazier has bought a number of actually good baseball nonetheless. … Him getting the chance to go on the market and show it’s the onerous half proper now.
“Sometimes it’s the big picture from the front-office standpoint and day to day from my standpoint.”
There is, in fact, the Jason Heyward query: How does he match on this roster over a younger, much less confirmed outfielder with potential upside when the Cubs wish to the longer term? Clearly the Cubs are usually not inclined to half methods with Heyward presently.
Asked about Heyward on Friday, Ross stated the veteran will get at-bats towards right-handers. He began in proper subject Friday with Yankees right-hander Luis Severino on the mound. Heyward hit his first residence run of the season on a 1-2 pitch from Severino within the fifth inning to tie the sport. It marked his second extra-base hit of the sport.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com