Cubs sign 6-year MLB veteran away from Mets: Report

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By Jackson Roberts

Contributing Sports Writer

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Sometimes, a successful Major League Baseball offseason plan involves putting a lot of shots on goal in free agency.

The Chicago Cubs had some high-profile wins this offseason, most notably signing third baseman Alex Bregman and trading for starting pitcher Edward Cabrera. But they've taken a volume-shooting approach to building their bullpen, as setup man Brad Keller has been replaced by a half-dozen arms looking to follow the same trajectory.

Keller was a minor-league signing for the Cubs last winter and had such a good season that the Philadelphia Phillies gave him $22 million over the next two years to see if he could repeat his success. This year, the Cubs have taken a bunch of similar fliers on veterans who haven't had decorated careers, and 32-year-old righty Yacksel Ríos recently joined that list.

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According to a Saturday report by independent baseball journalist Francys Romero, Ríos recently signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs. Romero cited Ríos' representation, The MAS+ Agency, as his source.

Ríos spent this past season in Triple-A with the New York Mets organization. He made just four appearances while spending nearly the entire season on the injured list, and allowed six earned runs in his three innings of work.

With six partial seasons of major league experience under his belt, Ríos is hoping that the Cubs' recent history of helping revitalize relief pitching careers can bear more fruit. He's pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Athletics at the major league level.

Chicago's other notable minor-league signings this winter include righties Corbin Martin, Jeff Brigham, and Collin Snider, and second baseman/utility man Scott Kingery.