The Chicago Cubs dominated headlines last week, completing a trade with the Miami Marlins for talented right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera and committing a five-year, $175 million contract to three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman. Fans are waiting to see if president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will make another big move before offseason’s end, but the front office is staying active on Tuesday. Chicago claimed outfielder Justin Dean off waivers from the San Francisco Giants, per the team’s X account.
People may remember the 29-year-old as the man who astutely called for the umpire to rule a dead ball during Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. His familiarity with the rule gifted LA another life, which resulted in the first repeat champion in 25 years. The Boys in Blue appreciated Dean’s shrewdness, but they designated him for assignment just the same.
The Giants scooped up the speedy, defensively-oriented talent in November before also deciding they did not have the roster space for him. Hoyer clearly believes Dean can provide some valuable depth. The former 17th-round draft pick has just two hitless at-bats to this point of his MLB career, but making a heads-up play in a critical situation surely caught the Cubs’ eye.
While a loaded starting pitching rotation and experienced batter like Bregman can boost Chicago to the next level, correctly identifying the right supplemental players is also vital. Justin Dean will try to graduate from becoming the “dead ball guy” and earn a bigger role with the North Siders.
