Cubs sign Tyler Chatwood to a three-year, $38 million deal

The Cubs have been linked to a number of free-agent pitchers this offseason, notably Alex Cobb and Japanese star Shohei Ohtani.

Not so much former Rockies righthander Tyler Chatwood, although I wrote about him as a possible free-agent target last month. And now he’s a Cub for the next three seasons:

These terms don’t seem unreasonable and they certainly leave room for further pitching acquisitions, perhaps including Cobb. Remember that the Cubs don’t have to pay Ohtani very much in 2018, if they do indeed sign him.

Chatwood was the second-round pick of the Angels in the 2008 draft. He made his major-league debut for the Angels in 2011 and was traded to the Rockies after that season for catcher Chris Iannetta.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2014 and missed the entire 2015 season. After returning in 2016 he had a 3.2 bWAR season (12-9, 3.87 ERA, 1.373 WHIP) that included this outing April 17 at Wrigley Field against the Cubs, seven shutout innings allowing only two hits.

He regressed in 2017, going 8-15 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.442 WHIP, though he pitched much better outside Coors Field (6.01 ERA in 17 games, 12 starts in Denver, 3.49 ERA in 16 games, 13 starts on the road).

Chatwood will turn 28 nine days from now, so the Cubs have signed up for his age 28, 29 and 30 seasons. Seems like a good fourth starter to me.