Hamilton, Garcia, Schoop cut loose; Cubs keep Russell
Speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton and 2017 All-Stars Avisail Garcia and Jonathan Schoop became free agents Friday when they were among 43 players cut loose by teams that failed to offer 2019 contracts, but the Chicago Cubs held onto shortstop Addison Russell despite his 40-game domestic violence suspension that extends until May.
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein called the decision a procedural step and said it “does not represent the finish line nor rubber-stamp his future” with them.
“It does however reflect our support for him as long as he continues to make progress and demonstrates his commitment to these important issues,” Epstein said.
Russell accepted the suspension following allegations made by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy. Though Russell has denied the allegations, he apologized to Reidy and his family for “my past behavior.”
“Since accepting my suspension, I’ve had time to reflect on my past behavior and think about the next steps I need to take to grow as a person,” Russell said in a statement issued by the Cubs.
Russell said he will meet regularly with experts and counselors mandated by his treatment plan. He said he also plans to keep working with his own therapist, whom he has been seeing several times a week the past two months.
He also hopes to work with nonprofit groups in his hometown of Pensacola, Fla., as well as Chicago and Arizona.
Teams had a Friday evening deadline to offer contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters, the last chance to in effect release salary arbitration-eligible players at no cost.
Hamilton, 28, hit .236 with four homers and 29 RBI this year for last-place Cincinnati as his stolen bases dropped to 34, and the Reds did not want to pay the raise he would get in arbitration from his $4.6 million salary. He swiped 56 bases and in 2014 and increased his total by one annually in each of the next three seasons.
Garcia was limited to 93 games last season for the White Sox because of dis- comfort in his right knee that led to surgery in October, and his batting average dropped from .330 to .236, too much of a decline for Chicago given the $6.7 million he won at a salary arbitration hearing in February.
Schoop spent his entire career with Baltimore before Milwaukee acquired the second baseman at the July 31 trade deadline for second baseman Jonathan Villar and a pair of prospects. Schoop hit .202 with four homers and 21 RBI in 46 games for the Brewers, then was 0-for-8 in the postseason. He made $8.5 million.
Others set free included Orioles third baseman Tim Beckham and catcher Caleb Joseph; Tigers catcher James McCann and pitcher Alex Wilson; Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker; Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman; A’s pitchers Mike Fiers, Cory Gearrin and Kendall Graveman; Mets infielder Wilmer Flores; and Phillies first baseman Justin Bour.
Among players who agreed to one-year contracts ahead of the deadline was Minnesota first baseman C.J. Cron, who hit 30 home runs for Tampa Bay, then was claimed off waivers.