The Chicago Cubs sent Michael Rucker to the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations in a trade on Tuesday.
It is not a big move, but the Cubs had no use for Michael Rucker on the roster anymore. Their bullpen was full, and he had some struggles in recent seasons. Rucker was pushed off the 40-man after the Cubs signed Hector Neris to a one-year deal. Rucker, 29, will not join the Phillies 40-man roster, and have a possibility to remain in the big leagues in 2024. He has split time between the Cubs’ Major League roster and their Triple-A affiliate the past three seasons. The Phillies will add to their bullpen with their new addition.
Michael Rucker and the Cubs
The Phillies have acquired Michael Rucker from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.
Rucker holds a career 4.96 ERA in 96 relief appearances in the majors. He tallied a 3.95 ERA in 2022 in 54.2 innings.
— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) February 6, 2024
Rucker made his Major League debut in 2021, but he was drafted in the 11th round of the 2016 draft by the Cubs. In his debut season, Rucker recorded a 6.99 ERA in 28 1/3 innings pitched. He improved greatly in his sophomore season as he finished with an ERA below 4.00 and his career-best 1.280 WHIP. Last season, Rucker made 35 appearances, threw 40 1/3 innings, and had a 4.91 ERA. With that regression, it was an easy choice for the Cubs to make when needing to make room for Neris.
Despite his struggles, Rucker still can pitch in the MLB. According to Baseball Savant, Rucker has a 22.6 career strikeout percentage to go along with a 9.4 career walk rate. Both of those numbers are great, but they are not right by any means. With those numbers, Rucker’s expected ERA (xERA) was lower than his actual ERA in each season. This suggests luck on the part of the hitters.
It is not a big-name trade, but the Cubs get some cash, and the Phillies get a reliever who can still do some good work in a Major League bullpen.
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