Patrick Wisdom landing spots: 3 potential destinations for veteran slugger after being DFA'd by Cubs
Patrick Wisdom's tenure with the Chicago Cubs appears to have ended after the team designated him for assignment on Wednesday. The club acquired veteran relief pitcher Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians in a deal and to make space for him on the 40-man roster, Wisdom found himself on the outside looking in.
The 33-year-old struggled to make much of an impact last season for the Chicago Cubs, posting a disappointing .171 batting average with eight home runs and 59 strikeouts over 75 games. The Cubs will now either trade Wisdom or place him on waivers within the next five days. However, there is a chance that they could opt to non-tender him directly, which would send him to the open market.
Although Wisdom's strikeouts and sub-par defense leave much to be desired, the infielder can still thrash the baseball. From 2021 to 2023, Wisdom smashed 76 home runs, which should be enough for him to land another gig in free agency. A club could land him on a team-friendly deal heading into 2025.
3 teams who could look to sign Patrick Wisdom in free agency
#1 - Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels have wasted no time revamping their roster this offseason, adding Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud and Kyle Hendricks. Given the team's desire to add impactful players across the board, it would be unsurprising to see it pursue Wisdom.
Given the Angels' offensive struggles last season, bringing in a proven power-hitter like Wisdom could be an interesting move for the rebuilding club. Wisdom has his fair share of strikeouts. However, his home run upside could tempt the Angels front office to make another offseason splash.
#2 - Detroit Tigers
Another club that will be looking to improve its offense this winter is the Detroit Tigers. Like the Angels, the Tigers finished in the bottom half of the league in home runs, so bringing in a proven slugger such as Wisdom could help bolster the lineup, even in a platoon role.
The Tigers will need to add to their lineup this offseason if they hope to return to the playoffs next season, and Wisdom could be a low-risk, high-reward signing at this stage of his career.
#3 - Houston Astros
The Houston Astros could be a surprising landing spot for Wisdom as the team's uncertain offseason moves along. With the potential loss of Alex Bregman in free agency, the Astros will need to add additional hitting depth to the squad heading into next season. While it's unlikely that Wisdom would land an everyday role with Houston, being a key contributor off the bench for a contender could be tempting.