Smyly exercised his $8.5 million player option for the 2024 season Monday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Smyly will remain in Chicago for the 2024 campaign, as he was unlikely to surpass his guaranteed money elsewhere over the next year. He'll look to bounce back after a rocky 2023 season, accruing a 5.00 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with a 141:56 K:BB across 142.1 innings.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Takes loss in finale
Rotowire
Smyly (11-11) allowed three runs on two hits while retiring only a single batter to take the loss Sunday against the Brewers. He walked three.
Smyly struggled badly in the season finale, throwing just 11 of his 28 pitches for strikes and retiring only the one batter. The veteran southpaw bounced between the bullpen and rotation this year, ultimately making 23 starts and 18 relief appearances. Smyly finishes 2023 with an even 5.00 ERA across 142.1 innings. He's under contract next season in Chicago, though he's not an appealing fantasy option at this point in his career.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Starting Sunday
Rotowire
Smyly will start Sunday's game against the Brewers, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Smyly figures to work a few innings in what may turn out to be a bullpen game for Chicago after the club was eliminated from postseason contention Saturday night. The veteran southpaw has plenty of experience in a starting role, though he was converted to a reliever for the final month of the season and has worked only 15.2 innings over 11 appearances in September.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Thursday that Smyly will return to a bullpen role, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.
It's unclear who might fill the vacant rotation spot, though Hoyer offered an intriguing "no comment" when asked if it could be top pitching prospect Jordan Wicks. Smyly was lit up for seven earned runs over 3.2 innings in his most recent start Tuesday at Detroit and holds a 5.28 ERA in 124.1 total innings (22 starts, five relief appearances) this year with Chicago.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Seven earned runs in loss
Rotowire
Smyly (9-9) took the loss Tuesday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and three walks over 3.2 innings in an 8-6 loss to the Tigers. He struck out four.
The veteran southpaw's return to Chicago's rotation was a disaster, as he allowed 11 baserunners and served up two long homers to Andy Ibanez. Smyly pitched well in his three recent relief appearances, but this marks his second consecutive start allowing seven earned runs. Smyly now has an 8.60 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 30.1 second-half innings and it remains to be seen whether he will receive another start.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Rejoining rotation Tuesday
Rotowire
Smyly is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Tigers, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
The veteran left-hander was shifted to the bullpen earlier in August and covered one frame in each of his past three outings, but he'll return to the rotation Tuesday with Marcus Stroman (ribs/hip) still on the injured list. Smyly hasn't covered multiple innings since his last start Aug. 7, so he could have some workload limitations in Detroit. Even without those limitations, Smyly's 4.92 ERA in 21 starts this year makes him an undesirable fantasy option.
Cubs manager David Ross announced Wednesday that Smyly has been temporarily moved to the bullpen, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Chicago has three days off in the next week and can roll with a smaller rotation for a bit. Also clouding Smyly's role is that Marcus Stroman (hip) is due back within the next few weeks. The 34-year-old left-hander was lit up for seven earned runs over five innings in his last turn Monday versus the Mets as his season ERA rose to 5.05.
Smyly (8-8) took the loss against the Mets on Monday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five batters over five-plus innings.
It was another uninspiring performance by Smyly, who was victimized by two Pete Alonso homers within the first three innings that accounted for five of the runs against him. Despite the long balls, the left-handed hurler managed to get through five frames without completely falling apart, but he allowed three straight singles to open the sixth and then departed after walking in a run. Smyly has given up 12 runs over 9.2 innings across his past two starts and has surrendered at least four earned runs in six of eight outings dating back to June 28. That poor stretch has lifted his ERA from a respectable 3.37 to 5.05.
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Cubs' Drew Smyly: Struggles in no-decison
Rotowire
Smyly tossed 4.2 innings against Cincinnati on Wednesday, allowing five runs on six hits and no walks while striking out seven batters in a no-decision.
Smyly had pitched behind an opener in each of his two previous outings, but he returned to a traditional starting role Wednesday. The change didn't appear to benefit the left-hander, as he fell behind 5-2 after four frames and was pulled with two outs in the fifth. The Cubs eventually came back with a massive offensive outburst in the late innings to take Smyly off the hook, but that doesn't do much to soften the veteran's struggles. After pitching well for a period earlier in the campaign, Smyly has mostly fallen off the fantasy radar, posting an 8.40 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 35:11 K:BB over 30 innings across his past seven starts.
Smyly is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Reds at Wrigley Field, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Smyly was never removed from the rotation, but the Cubs elected to deploy him behind an opener in both of this last two turns after he had posted a 9.35 ERA and 2.02 WHIP in his preceding four starts. Though Smyly showed improved results in his most recent two outings working out of the bullpen (5.63 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 11:2 K:BB in eight innings), the Cubs will give the lefty another chance to prove himself in a traditional starting role. Multiple reports have suggested that the surging Cubs won't be dealing staff ace Marcus Stroman prior to Tuesday's trade deadline while they pursue a division title or wild-card spot, but it's unclear if the team will seek out potential upgrades to Smyly ahead of the deadline.
Smyly (8-7) yielded one run on two hits and a walk over 4.1 innings Friday, striking out six and earning a win against the Cardinals.
Smyly worked out of the bullpen again Friday, entering the game in the third inning after Hayden Wesneski covered the first two frames. It was a solid rebound performance for Smyly after he had allowed 22 earned runs over his previous 21 innings. He lowered his season ERA to 4.50 with a 97:37 K:BB through 108 frames. Smyly is expected to remain in a bulk relief role and is currently in line to take the mound against the Reds at home next week.
Smyly is not certain to start Friday against the Cardinals, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
The 34-year-old lefty was used in bulk relief, with Michael Fulmer operating as the Cubs' opener, on what would have been Smyly's last turn through the rotation July 22 versus St. Louis. It sounds like manager David Ross is considering doing something similar for Friday's game at Busch Stadium. Smyly has posted a brutal 9.86 ERA over his last 21 innings (four starts, one relief appearance) dating back to June 28.
