Cub’s recent low-risk waiver claim could pay off later

The Chicago Cubs have demanded Franmil Reyes from waivers by the Cleveland Guardians. Reyes was DFA, would be in Cleveland this weekend.

The Cubs took a flyer on a tried and true Veterans Monday by demanding Reyes of waivers. While there’s no guarantee he’ll rediscover his old stroke, Chicago’s front office doesn’t have much to lose right now.

Hoyer and Co. decided against trading in such Willson Contreras and Ian Happ as of the reporting date. So instead of raising the kids on the farm, Reyes will be running somewhere in the Cubs by nine.

Reyes cut .213/.254/.350 with the Guardians, which was good for a wRC+ of 69. Those numbers leave a lot to be desired, but he can start fresh in Chicago.

Cubs claim veteran Franmil Reyes

At just 27, Reyes has plenty of good baseball left if he can rediscover his swing. His strikeout percentage is higher than usual at over 37 percent, while he also failed to get to base via a measly five percent walk rate.

Reyes is just a year away from his best season — a 30-home run power boost in 2021. While his batting average and on-base percentage are by no means strengths, his current slash line falls well short of usual expectations.

The indicators suggest that a trend reversal is possible. Its strong percentage as well as exit speed indicate some bad luck, if any. The Cubs are hoping that with the right guidance and maybe some minor swing chances, he can find his groove at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.