Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) – The Chicago Cubs and pitcher Jason Motte
agreed to terms on a one-year contract Friday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Chicago Tribune reported it to
be worth $4.5 million.
Motte was the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals before undergoing Tommy John
surgery during the 2013 season. He returned last year and was 1-0 with a 4.68
earned run average in 29 games.
The 32-year-old right-hander owns a career record of 18-13 with 54 saves and a
3.03 ERA in 311 relief appearances — all with St. Louis — from 2008-14. He
has 290 strikeouts in 285 innings pitched.
Motte helped the Cardinals to the 2011 World Series championship, closing out
Game 7 against Texas to cap a postseason in which he produced five saves and a
2.19 ERA in 12 games.
In 2012, Motte tied for the National League lead with 42 saves and posted a
record of 4-5 with a 2.75 ERA in 67 games. He developed an elbow injury in
spring training the following year and eventually underwent surgery in May,
forcing him to miss the entire 2013 season.
The Cubs will likely employ Motte as a setup man for Hector Rondon, who
notched 29 saves last season.
