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The Cubs have been adding players at several levels this offseason, from big contracts to Dansby Swanson to minor league deals for pitchers and position players. According to Mike Rodriguez, the Cubs are going to acquire left-handed pitcher Roenis Elías, who is currently pitching in the Dominican Republic.
The 34-year-old pitched for the Seattle Mariners during the 2022 season.
Elías underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021, but he was able to return to action in 2022, with the Mariners. He made it back to the majors in May, and made seven appearances out of Seattle’s bullpen. The left-hander allowed three earned runs in 7.2 innings, (3.52 ERA) striking out six and walking three. Elías didn’t stick around long with the Mariners and he ended up back in the minors. Overall at Triple-A, Elías pitched in 37 games, making nine starts. He tossed 65 innings and posted a 5.12 ERA.
However, he was fine returning to a starting role and the success has continued in the winter league.
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Looking at Elías’ career, he’s actually been decent. As a matter of fact, after earning a spot in the Mariners’ rotation in 2014, Elías recorded a 3.85 ERA in 163.2 innings, making 29 starts in his rookie season. He made 20 more starts in 2015, adding two relief outings, and did regress a bit, with a 4.14 ERA in 115.1 innings. Seattle didn’t have Elías up the entire season in 2015, as he made 12 starts in Triple-A.
Then, after being in Seattle’s organization since 2011, Elías was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the 2015-16 offseason, along with Carson Smith for Wade Miley and Jonathan Aro.
Elías only pitched in four games in the majors with the Red Sox in 2016 and 2017. He was still putting up good numbers in 2016 at Triple-A, posting a 3.60 ERA in 125 innings, but he didn’t stick around in Boston, making three appearances for the Red Sox in 2016. Elías missed time in 2017 because of a muscle strain and struggled in the minors that year, posting a 6.96 ERA in 10 starts.
The Mariners traded for Elías on April 23, 2018. His second stint in Seattle saw Elías used primarily as a reliever. He threw 51 innings, making four starts and 19 outings out of the bullpen. Elías finished the 2018 season with a 2.65 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, striking out 34 and walking 16. In 2019, Elías eventually became Seattle’s closer. He saved 14 games and had a 3.64 ERA in 47 innings.
Elías was traded to the Washington Nationals on July 31, 2019, along with Hunter Strickland. Unfortunately, Elías only made four appearances for the Nationals, missing time with a hamstring injury. Washington won the World Series, but Elías was not part of the postseason roster.
The 2020 season was a wash for Elías, as there was no minor league games that year and eventually he signed back with the Mariners in the 2020-21 offseason. Overall, Elías has a 3.96 ERA in 395.2 innings during his MLB career.
The Cubs don’t have a lot of options from the left side to come out of the bullpen, so if Elías is fully back from Tommy John, then he could be a useful reliever at some point in 2023. Worth a shot on a minor-league deal for a guy who has experience as a starter, long reliever and even as a closer for a period of time.
