Pedro Strop Indeed Returning to Cubs on Minor League Deal

The rumblings began when Pedro Strop’s IG story detailed his road trip from Cincinnati to Chicago, but nothing concrete emerged for several days. Dubious rumors Thursday night had him joining the White Sox, who did apparently have interest in him, but it now appears as though he is back in the Cubs organization. That news comes via Jesse Rogers and other Twitter reports, and has subsequently been confirmed by numerous outlets.

Strop will report to the alternate site at South Bend pending physical. It’s interesting to note that the Cubs’ player pool stood at 59 after a few transactions yesterday, giving them just one remaining spot. That extra space was created by releasing righty relievers AJ Ramos and Cody Allen, so the addition of Strop makes too much sense.

The former setup man has lost quite a bit of heat on his fastball and he walked the world during his brief Reds tenure, so it’s far from a guarantee that he can contribute again in Chicago. But he’s a beloved figure in the clubhouse and he’s a vocal leader even among the position players, which is pretty rare for a reliever. No harm in seeing if he’s still got a little gas in the tank.

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