The Cubs made another good signing Vince Velasquez on a minor league contract, according to the MiLB.com career log. The tracker also shows that he is a reliever Yacksel Ríos he withdrew the full waiver after being selected for assignment on Sunday.
Velasquez opted for free agency last week following his own DFA. The 33-year-old signed a minor league contract with Chicago. He made three of four starts against Iowa, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 17 innings. He struck out 19 opponents while issuing nine walks and hitting a batter.
The Cubs brought in Velasquez for long relief. He pitched 2 1/3 scoreless frames in the loss to the Dodgers. That was his first MLB appearance in three years. Velasquez threw 31 pitches and wasn’t available the next day, so the Cubs designated him for assignment to bring in a new arm (Ríos, coincidentally).
Ríos spent a week in Chicago’s active program. He pitched in just one game, striking out all five batters and facing two strikeouts against LA on April 26. That was also his first MLB outing since 2023. Ríos averaged 98.5 mph with his hitter in that one appearance. He posted mediocre numbers against Iowa before being called up, allowing six earned runs with an 8:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 10 2/3 frames.
The 32-year-old righty has his previous career directly on his resume, meaning he can opt for free agency. There’s a good chance he could follow Velasquez’s path back to the Cubs on a minor league deal or choose to explore the market.
