It's official: Cubs sign former All-Star catcher |
CINCINNATI – The Chicago Cubs today signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy to a 2019 major league contract. Catcher
Taylor Davis was optioned to Triple-A Iowa following yesterday’s game. Lucroy, who will wear uniform number 25, will start at catcher and bat eighth tonight when the Cubs begin their four-game series at the Cincinnati Reds.
Lucroy, 33, is a two-time All-Star who has played all of part or the last 10 big league campaigns with Milwaukee (2010-16), Texas (2016-17), Colorado (2017), Oakland (2018) and the Los Angeles Angels (2019). He is a career .275 hitter (1,118-for-4,068) with 214 doubles, 107 homers, 539 RBI, a .336 on-base percentage, .418 slugging percentage and .754 OPS in 1,175 big league contests. He has averaged 30 doubles, 15 homers and 74 RBI per 162 games in his career. The right-handed batter joined the Angels prior to the 2019 campaign and was batting .242 (58-for-240) with eight doubles, seven homers and 30 RBI in 74 games before being designated for assignment on August 2. This year he turned in a .310 on-base percentage and a .371 slugging percentage, good for a .681 OPS. Lucroy broke into the majors with the Brewers in 2010 and earned his first All-Star nod in 2014 when he led the National League with 53 doubles, ranked fifth with 176 hits, seventh with a .301 batting average and ninth with a .373 on-base percentage to finish fourth in N.L. MVP voting. He earned his second N.L. All-Star Appearance in 2016 when he split the season between the Brewers and Rangers, combining to post an .855 OPS in 142 games. Lucroy spent all of last season with Oakland and hit .241 (100-for-415) with 21 doubles, four homers and 51 RBI in 126 games. Davis, 29, has batted .167 (3-for-18) with one homer and four RBI in seven games with the Cubs this season. With Iowa, Davis is batting .250 (45-for-180) with five homers and 22 RBI in 53 games. First Base Coach Will Venable, who wore uniform number 25, will switch to uniform number 99. Chicago’s 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.
