Just days after winning the World Series, the Cubs are without two players who helped the club win 103 games during the regular season.
The Cubs on Sunday declined a $12 million club option on 15-game winner Jason Hammel’s contract for next season, making him a free agent. The right-handed starter joins outfielder Dexter Fowler as former Chicago players who will test free agency this offseason.
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"We would not have been in a position to win the World Series without Jason’s terrific performance during the regular season," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said in part in a statement. "The organization gains some flexibility and the opportunity to use a rotation spot to develop a younger, long-term starting pitcher."
The Cubs could have gotten a valuable prospect had they exercised Hammel's option and then traded him. But, Epstein said, "the intent was never to exercise the option and then trade Jason, so we will not consider that path."
Hammel, 34, suffered from right elbow tightness in September and didn't pitch for the Cubs during the postseason. He went 15-10 with a 3.83 ERA this past season with a 144:53 K:BB ratio over 166 2/3 innings.
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Hammel joins a weak free-agent pitching market and could be in line for a multiyear deal with a new team, although Epstein left the door open for a return to Chicago.
"We would certainly be open to Jason rejoining the organization in the future," he said, "but even if that never happens we will always consider him a Cub and be thankful for his role in delivering a World Series championship to the people of Chicago.”