CHICAGO _ The Cubs on Thursday traded infielder Tommy La Stella to the Angels for a player to be named later or cash, avoiding a salary arbitration case.
The La Stella trade comes one day after the Cubs acquired infielder Ronald Torreyes from the Yankees. Torreyes, 26, can play all three infield positions and was projected to earn $900,000, according to MLBtraderumors.com. That figure was $300,000 less than what La Stella was projected to earn.
Torreyes' versatility becomes more essential with shortstop Addison Russell in the midst of a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic-violence policy and won't be eligible to return until May 3.
La Stella, 29, set a single-season franchise record with 24 pinch hits in 2018. He batted .273 during his four seasons with the Cubs after being dealt from the Braves for reliever Arodys Vizcaino in November of 2014.
But La Stella was relegated to pinch-hitting duties for most of 2018, although he did start 12 games at third base and 10 at second base.
Chicago's 40-man roster now stands at 39 players.
