Chicago Cubs sign Kohl Stewart, a former Minnesota Twins pitcher, to a 1-year, $700,000 deal
After deciding not to re-sign starter Jon Lester, the Chicago Cubs went back to the discount bin Thursday and signed former Minnesota Twins right-hander Kohl Stewart to a one-year, $700,000 deal.
Stewart, 26, was the No. 4 selection in the 2013 draft, two picks after the Cubs selected third baseman Kris Bryant. Stewart made it to the Twins in 2018 and went 4-3 with a 4.79 ERA in two seasons before signing as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles after the 2019 season.
But Stewart never pitched for the Orioles. As a high-risk player with Type 1 diabetes, he opted out of the 2020 season because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stewart has made six starts in his career, and might either vie for the No. 5 spot in the rotation or join the bullpen.
The Cubs consider Stewart a low-risk, high-reward signing.
They’ve been in payroll-cutting mode all offseason and continue to seek low-priced free agents to help fill roster vacancies. Last week the Cubs signed catcher Austin Romine to a one-year, $1.5 million deal to back up Willson Contreras.
The estimated 2021 payroll is at $145 million, a $35 million drop from their estimated final payroll in 2020.
