De La Cruz signed a minor-league contract with the Mets on Wednesday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
The 25-year-old was released by the Cubs during the spring and was unable to find a new team during the shortened 2020 campaign, but he'll now receive an opportunity with the Mets. De La Cruz pitched in 31 games at Double-A in 2019 and had a 4.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 88:29 K:BB over 81.1 innings after missing the start of the season while finishing an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a PED masking agent. The right-hander was once considered a solid prospect, and the Mets will take a low-risk flier to see if he can live up to that potential.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Reinstated from suspension
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De La Cruz completed his 80-game suspension and was reinstated from the restricted list Friday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
De La Cruz will head to Double-A Tennessee, where he was optioned before the start of the season. He has a 5.24 ERA in 16 starts at that level last season. Tony Barnette (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Dispatched to Double-A
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The Cubs optioned De La Cruz to Double-A Tennessee on Saturday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
De La Cruz will miss Tennessee's first 24 games of 2019 while he serves the remainder of the 80-game ban he was handed last July for violating the minor-league performance-enhancing drugs policy. The right-hander should have a spot waiting for him in the Double-A rotation once the suspension is lifted.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Handed 80-game suspension
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De La Cruz has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a PED masking agent, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
One of the top prospects in a very weak farm system, De La Cruz tested positive for furosemide, and will miss the rest of 2018 (the Tennessee Smokies have 56 games left on their schedule) and roughly the first month of 2019. The 23-year-old righty is already on the 40-man roster, which may have led the Cubs to assigning him to Double-A a little before he was ready for the level. He has a 5.24 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 77.1 innings this season. It would not be surprising to see him converted to a relief role at some point next season.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Off to slow start at Double-A
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Through his first two starts with Double-A Tennessee, De La Cruz is 0-2 with a 16.50 ERA across six innings of work.
The 23-year-old righty is getting his first taste of the Double-A level, and so far he's taking his lumps. The Cubs will be patient with De La Cruz, who's never gotten to 100 innings in a season as a professional. He'll probably spend the whole year at Double-A, and hopefully he can begin to find a little more success soon.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: To open year at Double-A
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De La Cruz will open the year at Double-A Tennessee, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The 23-year-old righty has never pitched above High-A, but is on the Cubs' 40-man roster, so he could move relatively quickly if he finds success at Double-A. Health has been an issue for De La Cruz, so if he can approach 100 innings for the first time in his career, that would help his case for remaining a starter. Otherwise, the Cubs may be tempted to fast-track him as a reliever. He has mid-rotation upside, but a lot of things have to go right for him to reach that ceiling.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
De La Cruz was added to the Cubs' 40-man roster Monday and will be protected from the Rule 5 draft.
De La Cruz is currently rehabbing a pectoral injury, but is expected to be healthy for spring training. He fought an arm ailment during the 2017 season. However, De La Cruz made a solid debut at High-A Myrtle Beach when healthy. Over 12 games at Myrtle Beach, the 22-year-old logged a 3.46 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Removed from AFL
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De La Cruz was removed from action in the Arizona Fall League in order to rehab his minor pectoral injury, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.
De La Cruz posted a 3.46 ERA with a 14.7 K-BB% with High-A Myrtle Beach this season. He should be good to go when 2018 spring training rolls around.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Out with tender arm
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De La Cruz has missed nearly two months with a tender throwing arm and is without a timetable to return for High-A Myrtle Beach, John Manuel of Baseball America reports.
He notched a 3.42 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 42:11 K:BB in 47.1 innings for the Pelicans prior to suffering the injury. When healthy, De La Cruz is one of the best arms in the Cubs' system.
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Cubs' Oscar De La Cruz: Dominating in lower levels
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De La Cruz, 21, has a 1.38 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 38:6 K:BB in 26 innings across three levels of the minors this season.
He began his season in the Arizona Rookie League on July 13, and has since earned his way to the Midwest League, allowing one run while striking out 22 batters across 14.2 innings for Low-A South Bend. A 6-foot-4 Dominican righty with an electric arsenal, De La Cruz is one of the Cubs' best pitching prospects and the team's No. 6 overall prospect for dynasty league purposes. Given his dominance of Low-A hitters, he should begin the 2017 season at High-A, and could continue to shoot up the organizational ladder.
