MESA, Ariz. – A reunion is here for the Cubs and reliever Jesse Chavez.
Chavez has agreed to a minor-league contract, with a spring training invite, the Sun-Times confirmed. The Cubs had not announced the deal as of Sunday morning. NBC Sports Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer was first to report the contract type.
Chavez, 38, spent half a season with the Cubs in 2018, posting a 1.15 ERA. His dominant Cubs tenure included a 1-2-3 inning in a 2-1 Wild Card loss to the Rockies.
He returned to the Rangers in free agency the next year, and his ERA ballooned to 4.85 and 6.88 the next couple seasons. In 2021, he began the year in Triple-A with the Nationals but went on to put together one of the best seasons of his career after a June call-up.
In 30 regular season games last season, Chavez recorded a 2.14 ERA. On the Nationals’ path to a World Series title, Chavez appeared in seven games allowing no runs in 6 ⅓ innings.
