Proper-handed reliever Jorge López has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs, based on The Athletic’s Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney.

López, in fact, just lately made headlines for the way the tip of his time with the New York Mets performed out. For individuals who could have missed it or forgotten, he launched a ball into the stands after being ejected from a recreation towards the Los Angeles Dodgers in late Could. He then engaged in an eyebrow-raising post-game interview throughout which he expressed no regret for his act. (There was additionally the matter of whether or not or not López meant to insult the Mets by describing them because the “worst workforce,” or if it was a miscommunication. López, for his half, claimed the latter on social media.)

To be honest to López, he is endured a great deal of stress off the sector lately. He required a stint on the injured listing final summer time to work by way of psychological well being issues. His son Mikael was born with two autoimmune ailments, familial Mediterranean fever and Crohn’s illness, and required a bone marrow transplant in 2021, based on Andy Martino of SNY. 

López, 31, appeared in 28 video games with the Mets previous to the dissolvement of that relationship. He compiled a 3.76 ERA (102 ERA+) and a 1.73 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 1/3 innings pitched. 

The Cubs entered Wednesday with a 32-35 report on the season, placing them in third place within the Nationwide League Central, some seven video games again of the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago’s bullpen ranks twenty fourth within the majors in ERA, and is at the moment with out plenty of notable contributors — that group contains Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, and Yency Almonte.

For now, López will seemingly report back to Triple-A Iowa earlier than he can earn one other look in Chicago’s big-league bullpen.