Former Braves All-Star Julio Teheran Makes Final Contract Decision with Cubs!
Julio Teheran, once a standout for the Atlanta Braves, signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs in April. However, after a challenging stint in Triple-A, Teheran has opted out of his contract.
“Julio Teheran is opting out of his minor league deal with the Cubs.”
Before joining the Cubs, Teheran was with the New York Mets, where he struggled, recording a 13.50 ERA in a single appearance. The Colombian pitcher, who debuted in MLB in 2011, is unlikely to secure a major league deal elsewhere and will likely need to settle for another minor league contract.
Teheran spent 2011-2019 with the Braves, becoming a key player and earning All-Star honors in 2014 and 2016 with ERAs of 2.89 and 3.21, respectively. Overall, he posted a 3.67 ERA during his time in Atlanta.
In the winter of 2019, he signed with the Los Angeles Angels, and his career began to decline. He has had brief stints with the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers but didn’t pitch in the Majors at all in 2022. The Cubs could have used an extra arm, but Teheran’s performance in Iowa didn’t warrant a call-up.
When the Cubs signed Teheran, they were dealing with injuries to Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon, while Kyle Hendricks was struggling. Teheran, once a reliable starter, was seen as a potential fill-in. However, his performance didn’t meet expectations, and other pitchers like Javier Assad and Ben Brown have since secured spots in the rotation, while Shota Imanaga is pitching at a Cy Young level. Even if Teheran had excelled in Triple-A, it would have been difficult for him to break into the rotation at Wrigley.
At 33, time is running out for Teheran to be a regular contributor in the Major Leagues. He needs to pitch well in the minors to earn another opportunity, likely as a bullpen arm.
Teheran made this decision, recognizing that his chances of returning to the big leagues with the Cubs were slim. His best shot at pitching in the Majors again may be in a relief role.
The Cubs’ pitching staff is performing well in 2024, with a 3.89 ERA that ranks 13th in MLB. Assad, Imanaga, Brown, and Taillon all have ERAs under three, with Imanaga particularly dominant at 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA in 10 starts. If he continues at this pace, the Japanese star could win the NL Cy Young award.
However, the Cubs are struggling offensively and have a 2-8 record in their last 10 games. They are currently 6.5 games behind the Brewers for first place in the National League Central.
The Cubs will conclude a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field before facing the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox in a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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