Cubs sign veteran catcher to short-term deal, activate him right away

In a move to help the depth at catcher, the Chicago Cubs signed veteran backstop Robinson Chirinos to a one-year deal. 

A familiar name is headed to Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs. In a move to try and provide some depth at catcher, while also giving some relief to Willson Contreras, the club went out and signed veteran backstop Robinson Chirinos to a major-league deal on Monday.

Chirinos had signed a minor-league contract with the New York Yankees prior to the 2021 campaign getting underway, but he was released by the club on Sunday.  Only 24 hours passed before the Cubs decided to scoop him up.

Robinson Chirinos will be looked at to be a solid backup for Willson Contreras

Unfortunately for Chirinos, he suffered a wrist injury in spring training. Because of this, he never was able to appear in the bigs for New York this year. However, he’s got plenty of experience in the majors, previously suiting up for the Rays, Rangers, Astros and Mets.

Don’t forget, Chirinos was also signed by the Cubs back in 2000 and was in the club’s farm system until being traded to Tampa Bay back in 2011.

“He’s a nice addition,” David Ross said via MLB.com. “I was able to be around him a little bit in my time off, and [he has an] infectious personality. He’s got a great reputation in the game.”

While Chirinos won’t be expected to be a superstar player for this team, he’ll indeed be able to provide some needed relief for Contreras throughout the campaign. With the Cubs hoping to get back into the NL Central race, that could be key for Chicago down the stretch. This is a low-risk move for the Cubs, but it could turn out to be a smart move by the front office.