Yency

Almonte

Almonte was with the Dodgers before, but was part of the trade that also sent Michael Busch to the Cubs. Almonte pitched just 19 1/3 innings in the minor leagues last year as he worked his way back from shoulder surgery. He allowed four runs on 14 hits while striking out 17 and walking 10. The 31-year-old has not appeared in an MLB game since 2024.

Almonte returns for another stint with the Cubs after making 17 relief appearances last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in early July. The 30-year-old has made 213 big-league appearances dating back to 2018 and represents quality organizational depth.

The quartet cleared waivers and have all elected free agency. Almonte is was an effective high-leverage reliever in the recent past and figures to get another shot somewhere else. With top catching prospect Moises Ballesteros on the doorstep of the majors there was no reason for the club to keep Bethancourt around any longer.

Almonte has opted for the season-ending procedure after receiving a second opinion earlier this month that wasn’t encouraging. The 30-year-old righty was acquired from the Dodgers during the offseason and winds up making just 17 relief appearances this season for Chicago.

The Cubs will have him shut down from throwing for a while before making a decision on whether or not he’ll undergo a surgical procedure of continue to go with the rest and rehab route. He shouldn’t be expected to return any time this season.

Almonte has a shoulder strain and has not been progressing, which has led the Cubs to seek other opinions on a recovery process. The move doesn’t change his ambiguous timeline but frees up a roster spot that allows the Cubs to add reliever Vinny Nittoli to the active roster.

Almonte started throwing bullpens a couple of weeks ago, but his arm wasn’t responding as hoped and he’s been shut down again now. The right-hander has been sidelined since May 8 because of the injury.

No word yet on how long Almonte will be sidelined, but shoulder issues can be extremely complex matters that carry lengthy recovery timetables. There should be some clarity on his status in the coming days. The 29-year-old righty, who came over from the Dodgers in the offseason Michael Busch trade, has pitched well this season in 17 appearances in his Cubs debut.

It seems logical that Adbert Alzolay, who notched a career-best 22 saves last year for the Cubs, will get the first look as Chicago’s closer this season, but it sounds like Counsell is willing to mix-and-match at times depending on matchups or situations. It’s possible Hector Neris, Mark Leiter Jr., Jose Cuas, Yency Almonte or Julian Merryweather will vulture the occasional save chance, but fantasy managers should still expect Alzolay to garner the majority of the opportunities, health permitting.

Almonte might have had a difficult time making the Dodgers as an out-of-options reliever this spring after finishing with a 5.06 ERA in 48 innings last season. He was terrific while healthy in 2022, finishing with a 1.02 ERA in 35 1/3 innings then. The Cubs will carry him in their pen and could give him a shot at a setup role if he starts off well.