Cubs Acquire RHP Matt Festa, DFA Miles Mastrobuoni

The Cubs acquired righty reliever Matt Festa from the Rangers in exchange for cash considerations on Thursday. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, Miles Mastrobuoni was designated for assignment. the 31-year-old Festa has played parts of five seasons for the Mariners, Mets, and Rangers, with some time spent in the Padres system as well. He has put up some pretty impressive strikeout numbers at times but has only had one season with more than 20 appearances.

Festa’s three-pitch mix features a 92 mph fastball that stays middle with below-average ride, a 90 mph cutter that has gotten decent results, and an 83 mph sweeper that has been spotty at best. His fastball was effective in 23.2 innings last year, perhaps because it didn’t behave like hitters expected. This looks very much like a deal where the Cubs are going to try to sneak Festa through waivers and hope he accepts an assignment after going unclaimed. It should be noted that he’s a Tread Athletics guy who is surely familiar to Tyler Zombro, so that could increase the likelihood that he’ll stick around if he’s indeed given the option to elect free agency.

By parting with Mastrobuoni, the Cubs have now removed all five players from last season who put up negative WAR over at least 90 plate appearances (Yan Gomes, Nick Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom, Christopher Morel). With Isaac Paredes traded to Houston, that means they’ve also gotten rid of their glut of third basemen. I believe that’s what the kids call addition by subtraction, no cap.