Zambrano will pitch from bullpen when he returns

By Drew SilvaJun 26, 2010, 8:05 PM EST
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The Cubs suspended Carlos Zambrano indefinitely on Friday after he blew up in the dugout, getting in the face of first baseman Derrek Lee and turning over a water cooler.  Now the punishment continues.

According to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, Zambrano will not return to the Cubs’ starting rotation once he is activated from his club-assigned suspension.  He will head back to the bullpen, where he spent part of April and all of May.

Big Z has posted a 4.15 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP this season in 14.1 innings as a reliever and a 3-5 record, a 6.12 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP as a starter.  To be blunt, he’s pretty awful these days no matter the role. 

The Cubs have not made immediate plans to fill his rotation spot, nor have they called up a player to take Zambrano’s place on the 25-man roster.  Some changes will need to be made by early next week.

Report: Rangers sign Jeff Mathis to two-year deal

Denis Poroy/Getty Images
By Bill BaerNov 15, 2018, 9:47 PM EST
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The Rangers have signed catcher Jeff Mathis to a two-year contract, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal is pending a physical.

Mathis turns 36 years old at the end of March and has a career .564 OPS across 14 seasons, but he is well-regarded for his defense and ability to handle a pitching staff.

The arrival of Mathis could mean the Rangers are moving on from Robinson Chirinos behind the plate, as he is now a free agent. The Rangers could go after another catcher to complement Mathis or just have Isiah Kiner-Falefa back up Mathis. Though Kiner-Falefa mostly played elsewhere, including three spots across the infield, he did rack up over 300 defensive innings behind the plate in 2018.