There was a point in time when Sean Newcomb looked like he was going to become a frontline starter for the Braves, but in the blink of an eye, his tenure in Atlanta was over. After another disappointing start to his 2022 campaign, the Braves shipped the high-powered southpaw to the Chicago Cubs in return for Jesse Chavez.
The move made sense for both organizations. The Braves needed another right-handed reliever following Luke Jackson‘s Tommy John diagnosis, and the rebuilding Cubs were willing to take a chance on a lottery ticket like Newcomb. But while Chavez has been everything the Braves had hoped for and then some, Newcomb has only looked worse in Chicago.
Newk has made 17 appearances for the Cubs since the trade, posting a jarring 9.13 ERA over 22.1 innings. Because of that, he’s fallen out of favor with the club and was designated for assignment over the weekend.
#Cubs roster moves:
– Activated RHP Adbert Alzolay off 60-day IL
– Designated LHP Sean Newcomb for assignment
– Selected the contract of INF Esteban QuÃroz from @IowaCubs
– Placed OF Seiya Suzuki on the paternity leave list
– Designated INF Frank Schwindel for assignment pic.twitter.com/VvuBOqUP3g— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 17, 2022
Sean Newcomb then cleared waivers and was outrighted to AAA Iowa.
LHP Sean Newcomb cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Iowa. #Cubs
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) September 19, 2022
You hate to say it, but it feels like time is running out for the former first-round pick. The talent is there, but Newcomb is nearly 30-years-old and seems to only be regressing. Perhaps this will be one of those comeback stories that makes Major League Baseball such a wonderful sport, but right now, things are looking bleak for Newk, and he may eventually decide to hang up the cleats.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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